France’s Senate approves law to hold rioters liable, fines up to €10,000

The French Senate has approved a bill that makes participants in riots financially liable for damage and adds a range of measures to strengthen public order. The draft law passed with 229 votes "for" and 105 "against" and has been sent to the National Assembly for further consideration.

The legislation was drafted after the unrest on October 17, when more than 2,500 businesses were affected. A central clause allows the state to claim compensation from people who knowingly took part in a group formed to commit vandalism, and from those who remain at gatherings that risk disturbing public order despite police warnings.

Liability and additional sanctions

Liability can also be extended to individuals indirectly responsible for damage, with a cap of €10,000 per person. Other provisions introduce new administrative bans on demonstrations, tougher penalties, territorial bans for foreigners and the possibility of evicting troublemakers from social housing.

The bill also eases judicial use of drones and authorizes algorithmic video surveillance, while establishing an emergency procedure obliging the removal within 24 hours of social media content that incites vandalism.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez welcomed the Senate vote, saying senators had significantly improved the government’s proposal and defending the measures as a matter of common sense. The draft is supported by deputies in the National Assembly, while left-wing parties, trade unions, Amnesty International and the National Council of the Bar Association have strongly criticized it.

The measure now moves into the lower house where deputies will debate and vote on the text as part of the parliamentary process.

Photo: press material from the event