French Senate passes tougher “rioters pay” bill: what it means

France’s Senate, the upper house of parliament, has passed a tougher version of the “rioters pay” bill, RFI reports. People who take part in rioting or vandalism could be made to pay up to €10,000 for damage, and the bill adds penalties that touch welfare benefits, social media content and the expulsion of foreign nationals.

What happened

According to RFI, the Sénat passed the bill in the early hours of Wednesday 28 October by 229 votes to 105. Senators added several new penalties to those first proposed. The text was drafted several months ago after the riots that followed Paris Saint-Germain’s victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final in May. Conservative politicians have pushed it with fresh urgency since the recent protests. These began as a student movement over failing schools and the cost of living and turned into some of the worst street violence France has seen in years. RFI reports that thousands of businesses across the country were damaged and looted on 17 October.

Under the bill, a court could order protesters to pay up to €10,000 for damage caused during public demonstrations. The penalty would apply to anyone found to have “knowingly participated” in a group formed to carry out vandalism or looting, whether or not that person caused the damage. It would also apply to anyone who “voluntarily” stays in a gathering likely to disrupt public order after receiving two police warnings to disperse.

The Senate is dominated by right-wing parties and their centrist allies. It widened the list of benefits the state could reclaim from rioters. Alongside welfare and housing assistance, the list now includes the family supplement, the back-to-school allowance and the employment bonus. If the rioters are minors, their parents can be held liable.

Senators also approved an amendment that would let authorities demand the rapid removal of social media content calling for “insurrection or taking up arms against the state”. Platforms would have 24 hours to remove such content or risk being blocked or removed from search results.

The bill has drawn strong criticism. RFI reports that Communist senator Fabien Gay called it a “legal travesty that deliberately conflates protesters and rioters”, and Green senator Melanie Vogel accused the government of “collective punishment”. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez replied that the bill creates “a joint responsibility, not a collective one”. Amnesty International said the penalties risked “plunging already marginalised families further into poverty”.

What it means for you

The bill is not yet law. If it passes in its current form, these are the points most relevant to residents of France, based on RFI’s report:

• Foreign nationals: one clause widens the circumstances in which foreign nationals can be expelled from France after being found guilty of serious offences during protests. Nathalie Godard of Amnesty International France said the group was “deeply concerned” that the amendment could fuel the scapegoating of refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and minorities.
• Families receiving benefits: welfare, housing assistance, the family supplement, the back-to-school allowance and the employment bonus could all be reclaimed. Parents could be held liable for children who take part in riots.
• Anyone who joins a demonstration: the bill would make people financially liable for staying in a gathering after two police warnings to disperse, even if they caused no damage. If you attend a protest, follow police instructions to leave.
• Business owners: RFI reports that French businesses have lost millions of euros through looting and vandalism, or by having to close and board up their windows during protests.

More protests are planned for this weekend. If you live, work or run a business in Paris, Marseille or another city where protests have taken place, check local news and official announcements before you travel.

What to watch next

The revised bill now goes to the Assemblée nationale (National Assembly), the lower house of parliament, for further debate. RFI says it is also likely to face scrutiny in the courts. Legal experts have questioned whether collective liability is compatible with principles in France’s constitution, including individual responsibility and the presumption of innocence.

The Élysée, the president’s office, announced a high-level security meeting on Wednesday to discuss plans to maintain order. Nuñez told senators that calls for insurrection were circulating for next Saturday. He offered his resignation last week after admitting that security forces had been overwhelmed, but President Emmanuel Macron kept him in place. Protesters have accused police of heavy-handed tactics, and lawyers have raised concerns about the fast-tracking of trials for some people accused over the 17 October violence.

Source: RFI