French Senate Debates Bill to Make Rioters Pay for Damages

The French Senate is considering a government-backed bill to hold group members collectively liable for damages during protests, following violent riots on October 17. The legislation would impose fines up to 10,000 euros per person. The bill, championed by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, targets individuals in groups committing vandalism without proving direct involvement. It also allows authorities to deduct payments from social benefits, including family allowances and housing aid, for those who cannot pay. The right-dominated Senate may toughen the text with amendments, including expanding benefit deductions and banning foreign offenders from French territory. Left-wing parties oppose the bill, calling it unconstitutional and a threat to protest rights.