France’s Senate backs draft protest damage bill
The proposal could expose some people to liability for damage they did not directly cause and allow social benefits to be seized.
France’s Senate has passed a draft bill that could make people liable for up to €10,000 in damage linked to public unrest. The measure now goes to the National Assembly for debate, and its final wording is not settled.
The bill would extend potential liability beyond people convicted of vandalism to those who knowingly joined a group formed to damage property, or remained at a public gathering after two police orders to disperse. Some social benefits could also be seized to cover costs.
The proposal follows unrest on the fringes of largely peaceful demonstrations over the rising cost of living on 17 October. France’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry said nearly 2,500 businesses were damaged; the IFRAP Foundation estimated nationwide costs at close to €1 billion. The figures remain estimates as costs are tallied.
Amnesty International, unions and left-wing parties say the bill threatens the right to peaceful protest. Criminal defence lawyer Laurent Caruso told France 24 that existing criminal and civil processes can already require people to pay for damage they caused, and warned the draft’s broad wording could lead to arbitrary enforcement.
The National Assembly debate will determine whether the proposal advances and in what form. How liability would apply in individual cases, including when people may struggle to leave a gathering, remains unclear.
