French Senate passes bill to make protesters pay for unrest damage

The French parliament’s upper house passed a bill Wednesday that would make protesters financially liable for damage caused during street demonstrations, despite warnings from critics that it could curb the right to protest. The bill was drafted in response to riots that followed Paris Saint-Germain’s victory over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final in May.

But it has taken on added significance after weeks of protests over inequality and soaring prices culminated in some of the worst violence France has seen in years on October 17, when thousands of businesses across the country were damaged and looted. The Senate passed an expanded version of the bill by 229 votes to 105, backed by a right-wing and centrist alliance which holds a majority.

The legislation has been sent to the National Assembly, which is split between France’s political factions, for debate and voting. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, whom opinion polls place as the frontrunner to succeed Emmanuel Macron in next spring’s presidential election, supports the legislation. Speaking in parliament, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stressed the “urgency” of responding to the damage and scenes of chaos seen on October 17.

“We can no longer allow the vast majority of our fellow citizens to pay for a minority of vandals,” he said. – ‘Legal travesty’ – Under the legislation, protesters could be ordered to pay up to 10,000 euros for damage caused during street demonstrations. But critics argue that people who took no part in vandalism could nonetheless be held liable if they were deemed to have been associated with those responsible.

The bill introduces joint financial liability for anyone found to have “knowingly participated” in a group formed with the intent of carrying out acts of vandalism. It would also apply to individuals who “voluntarily” continued to take part in a gathering likely to disrupt public order after two police dispersal warnings. Welfare benefits and housing assistance could also be seized to help cover the cost of damages under the scheme, a provision that has drawn sharp criticism from left-wing parties and advocacy groups.

In the second reading, senators toughened the measure to include other social benefits such as the family supplement, back-to-school allowance and the employment bonus. Left-wing lawmakers accused the government of an “authoritarian drift” at the expense of the freedom to demonstrate. Communist senator Fabien Gay denounced what he called a “legal travesty that deliberately conflates protesters and rioters”.

Green senator Melanie Vogel accused the government of responding to social demands with “collective punishment.” Supporters of the bill sought to reassure critics. “We must not give the impression that this bill would criminalise a passer-by or a peaceful protester,” said Olivier Bitz of the centre-right Horizons party. – ‘Disastrous consequences’ – The government has proposed introducing protest bans targeting the most violent individuals.

Late Tuesday, the Senate approved a bill allowing authorities to demand the rapid removal of social media content calling for “insurrection or taking up arms against the state”. “As we speak, there are calls circulating for next Saturday that are calls for insurrection. Those are the kinds of content we want to remove,” the interior minister told senators.

Platforms would be required to remove such content within 24 hours, or they could face “blocking” or “delisting.” In an op-ed published in French daily Le Monde last week, a coalition of trade unions and student groups warned of a “serious infringement on the freedom to demonstrate.” They argued the measures would disproportionately affect “the poorest families” and encourage “arbitrary police action.” Amnesty International also urged the government to abandon the bill, warning the measures could push “already marginalised families further into poverty”.

“If passed, this bill would be a deeply regressive step,” Nathalie Godard of Amnesty International France said on Monday. “Seizing family allowances, housing assistance, or the active solidarity income could have disastrous consequences for some of the most vulnerable people.” AFP