Véry bombing
| Industry | Restaurant |
|---|---|
| Fate | Bombed and destroyed (25 April 1892) |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
The Véry bombing was an explosive assault carried out on 25 April 1892 in Paris by anarchist activists Théodule Meunier, Jean‑Pierre François, and Fernand Bricout targeting the dining establishment Le Véry. This attack served as retribution against the proprietor, Jean‑Marie Véry, who had informed law enforcement authorities, resulting in the capture of the anarchist Ravachol. The attackers considered Véry a justified target due to his cooperation with the police. This incident further escalated the ongoing Ère des attentats (1892–1894).
Despite increased surveillance, Meunier and François placed an explosive device near the restaurant’s counter, causing the deaths of two individuals including Véry himself, and wounding at least one other person. Following their detention, Bricout and his companion Marie Delange collaborated with investigators, attributing responsibility primarily to Meunier and François. Meunier was condemned to life imprisonment with forced labor and subsequently deported to the penal colony of Cayenne, where he passed away in 1907. François was acquitted by the jury, whereas Bricout received a twenty-year sentence of hard labor despite his cooperation.
Context
During the nineteenth century, anarchism arose in Europe as a movement opposing all hierarchical structures, especially economic domination under capitalism, and rejecting the State as an instrument of oppression enforced through its police forces, military, and propaganda mechanisms.
In France, friction between anarchists and the Third Republic intensified following incidents such as the 1891 Fusillade de Fourmies, where military forces opened fire on workers demanding an eight-hour workday, alongside severe crackdowns during the Clichy Affair. The harsh penalties imposed on anarchists arrested after Clichy—including prosecutors pursuing capital punishment—contributed to radicalization and directly led to the outbreak of the Ère des attentats.
Premises and preparations
Anarchist François Koënigstein, known by his alias Ravachol, reacted to judicial persecution by attempting to assassinate a judge in the Saint-Germain bombing and subsequently targeting a prosecutor with another bomb. On 30 March 1892, while concealed and dining at Le Véry restaurant located at 22 Boulevard Magenta, he was identified by employee Jules Lhérot, who reported him to owner Jean‑Marie Véry. Véry then notified law enforcement, leading to Ravachol’s arrest and increased security around the venue.
The apprehension of Ravachol stirred French anarchist groups, generating calls for retaliation against those responsible for his capture and eventual execution for offenses—some of which were falsely attributed. Within this context, three individualist anarchists—Théodule Meunier, Jean‑Pierre François (‘Francis’), and Fernand Bricout (‘Bricou’)—all affiliated with the anarchist collective 'Les Pieds‑Plats' (associated with carpentry work), targeted Véry and his establishment.
On 10 April 1892, François proclaimed before the International Anarchist Circle:
This viewpoint was widely held among anarchists; Adolphe Tabarant likened Lhérot to Judas Iscariot and Ravachol to Jesus Christ. Tabarant defended Ravachol in L'En‑dehors, denouncing Lhérot as a betrayer:
Attack
The bomb was assembled jointly by Bricout and Meunier, while François vanished and relocated from his residence in early April 1892. On 25 April 1892, the day before Ravachol’s trial, Meunier and François visited Le Véry. Meunier positioned the briefcase containing the explosive device on the counter, after which both quickly departed. The explosion resulted in two fatalities, including Véry, and caused injuries to at least one individual, Gandon.
Aftermath
Shortly following the bombing, Le Père Peinard coined a pun directed at Véry: 'Verification'. The government arranged Véry’s funeral ceremony, which was attended by President Émile Loubet. The president condemned the attack and reiterated the authorities’ dedication to upholding justice through legal means.
On 27 April 1892, Jean‑Pierre François was apprehended but subsequently released after presenting an alibi corroborated by witnesses. Following denunciations by Bricout and Marie Delange, François escaped to London. Despite opposition from Louise Michel and Peter Kropotkin, France successfully requested his extradition. Both François and Bricout were tried before the Cour d'assises of the Seine. On 12 April 1893, François was acquitted, whereas Bricout received a sentence of 20 years of penal labor.
Meunier was incarcerated on unrelated charges, which initially spared him from immediate police investigation. After completing his sentence, he fled to the United Kingdom but was apprehended in June 1894 and extradited back to France for trial commencing on 26 July 1894. He denied any participation in the bombing but was convicted by a narrow margin and sentenced to life penal labor. Transferred to the penal colony of Cayenne, he died there in 1907 following two escape attempts, possibly due to malaria. In a letter dated 1906 to Jean Grave, Meunier expressed no remorse and affirmed his willingness to repeat his actions despite enduring harsh penal conditions.
In 1895, Gandon was awarded compensation amounting to 2,000 francs for his injuries.