French Senate passes bill making protesters liable for riot damage

France's Senate passed legislation on Wednesday that would hold protesters financially liable for damage caused during demonstrations, in a vote of 229 to 105 backed by a right-wing and centrist alliance.

Under the bill, anyone found to have knowingly participated in a group intending to commit vandalism could be ordered to pay up to €10,000. The measure would also apply to individuals who continued to take part in a gathering after two police dispersal warnings.

Welfare benefits, housing assistance, the family supplement, the back-to-school allowance and the employment bonus could all be seized to cover the cost of damages under an amendment added in the second reading.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told the Senate the legislation was urgent, arguing that the vast majority of citizens should not pay for a minority of vandals. The bill was drafted after riots followed Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League final victory over Arsenal in May, and gained added weight after violence on October 17 damaged thousands of businesses across France.

Critics argue that people who took no part in vandalism could be held liable if deemed associated with those responsible. Communist senator Fabien Gay called it a legal travesty that conflated protesters and rioters, and left-wing lawmakers accused the government of an authoritarian drift.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen supports the legislation. The bill has been sent to the National Assembly, which is split between France's political factions, for debate and a vote.