In the summer of 1793, revolutionary France was engulfed in political upheaval, with factions vying for supremacy. The Girondists, a moderate faction within the National Convention, had been losing ground to the more radical Jacobins, who were increasingly pushing for stronger measures against perceived enemies of the Revolution. On June 2, François Hanriot, the commander of the Parisian National Guard, executed a decisive move by arresting 22 Girondists. This action was prompted by Jean-Paul Marat, a fervent supporter of the Jacobins and a vocal critic of the Girondists, who accused them of treachery and counter-revolutionary activities.

The arrests took place in Paris, where tensions were particularly high as various factions sought to assert their control over the direction of the Revolution. Marat's influence over the people and his publication, L'Ami du peuple, played a critical role in framing the narrative against the Girondists. Hanriot's actions not only eliminated prominent opponents but also highlighted the expanding reach and power of the radical factions within the National Convention.

The fallout from these arrests was immediate and significant, as it set the stage for the escalating violence and repression that characterized the Reign of Terror, which began later that same year. The National Convention increasingly adopted radical measures to secure its survival against the threats of both internal dissent and external invasion. The atmosphere of fear and suspicion would deepen, leading to further purges and the eventual execution of many former allies and rivals alike, including key figures such as Georges Danton and even the once-mighty Girondists themselves.