French Senate adopts bill requiring protesters to pay for damage

The French Senate adopted a bill, known as the "rioters-pay," which seeks to hold protesters participating in violent gatherings responsible for damage caused, broadcaster Public Senat reported Wednesday.

The Senate adopted the bill overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday by 229 votes to 105. It seeks "compensation for damage resulting from violence or damage committed in public spaces and the recovery of damages.”

The bill was initially presented as a response to the violence that followed Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory in May and later evolved due to scenes of vandalism and looting during demonstrations that took place on Oct. 17.

The bill reportedly won broad support from the Senate’s right-wing majority but drew criticism from the left, which argued that it undermined several constitutionally protected principles, including freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and the individualization of penalties.

The bill allows individuals who participated in violent gatherings to be held jointly liable for damages, even if they were not directly responsible for the destruction. The state could seek up to €10,000 ($11,000) in compensation per person.

It also permits the seizure of part of family allowances, housing assistance and France’s minimum-income benefit to recover damages owed.

The Senate also approved an amendment allowing authorities to request the removal of online content likely to cause serious public disorder, particularly material inciting violence, vandalism, or insurrection.

Under the measure, social media platforms would have 24 hours to remove such content or face blocking or delisting.

The Senate further approved tougher security measures, including new administrative bans on demonstrations, additional penalties barring foreign nationals from French territory, harsher sentences, expanded use of judicial drones and algorithmic video surveillance, and evictions from social housing for troublemakers.

The bill will now be examined by the National Assembly, where political divisions could complicate its legislative passage.