The key facts

  • The French Senate approved a bill allowing up to €10 thousand to be recovered from riot participants: 229 votes for, 105 against
  • Even those who remained in the crowd after police warnings could be held liable — personal involvement in property damage will not need to be proven
  • Withholding money from social benefits is provided for; left-wing senators fear restrictions on freedom of assembly

The Senate approved joint liability for rioters

The French Senate has approved a bill on joint civil liability of participants in mass riots, France 24 reports. 229 parliamentarians voted for the initiative, while 105 voted against. Under the document, riot participants could be ordered to pay up to 10 thousand euros for destruction they were not personally involved in.

Who exactly the new rules will affect

The new rules will allow compensation to be recovered not only from the direct perpetrators of looting, but also from those who knowingly took part in a group assembled to commit violence or remained in the crowd after police warnings. Proving each person's personal involvement in property damage will not be required. The maximum amount recoverable is 10 thousand euros per person. In addition, the document provides for the possibility of withholding money from certain social benefits, including family allowances and housing assistance, to compensate for damage.

Disputes in parliament

The initiative sparked heated debate in the French parliament. Representatives of left-wing parties fear that the new rules will affect peaceful demonstrators and restrict freedom of assembly; Senator Mélanie Vogel stated that the bill may contradict the Constitution. Supporters of the document, on the contrary, believe that the costs of restoring property should not fall on taxpayers.

Context of the protests and earlier reports

The bill is being discussed against the backdrop of large-scale protests that have swept France since September. During the nationwide demonstrations on October 17, there were clashes with police, arson attacks, and looting of stores; according to official figures, about 550 thousand people took part in the demonstrations. Earlier, on October 26, Life.ru reported that French trade unions and human rights activists spoke out against the government's initiative, fearing that the threat of multi-thousand-euro payments for the actions of others would lead citizens to refuse to take part even in peaceful protest rallies.