French Senate toughens proposals to make rioters pay for damage

The upper house of the French parliament has toughened a proposed law that would make people who participate in rioting and vandalism liable for up to €10,000, after nationwide protests against failing schools and the cost of living that turned violent in Paris and other cities. Rights groups warn the legislation could undermine the democratic right to protest.

Issued on: 28/10/2026 - 12:09

The Senate passed the so-called "rioters pay" bill in the early hours of Wednesday by 229 votes to 105, having added several new penalties to the ones originally proposed. 

The bill was drafted several months ago in response to riots that followed Paris Saint-Germain's victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final in May. 

But conservative politicians have taken it up with fresh urgency after protests that began as a student movement before spiralling into some of the worst street violence France has seen in years, with thousands of businesses across the country damaged and looted on 17 October.

Under the legislation, protesters could be ordered to pay up to €10,000 for damage caused during public demonstrations. 

The penalties would apply to anyone found to have "knowingly participated" in a group formed with the intent of carrying out acts of vandalism or looting, regardless of whether they caused the damage themselves. 

Anyone who "voluntarily" continues to take part in a gathering likely to disrupt public order despite receiving two warnings from police to disperse would also be financially liable.

Critics say the legislation risks punishing people for the conduct of others, including legitimate protesters exercising their right to demonstrate.

Communist senator Fabien Gay denounced what he called a "legal travesty that deliberately conflates protesters and rioters", while Green senator Melanie Vogel accused the government of "collective punishment".

Yet Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez insists the bill creates "a joint responsibility, not a collective one".

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Social benefits jeopardised

In one of its most controversial provisions, the bill would allow the state to reclaim welfare benefits and housing assistance from rioters. 

The Senate, which is dominated by right-wing parties and their centrist allies, expanded the list of benefits that could be seized to include the family supplement, back-to-school allowance and employment bonus. 

If those participating in riots are minors, their parents can be held liable. 

Amnesty International said the penalties risked "plunging already marginalised families further into poverty". 

The rights group also criticised a clause that expands the circumstances in which foreign nationals can be expelled from France after being found guilty of serious offences during protests. 

"We are deeply concerned that this amendment may introduce xenophobic rhetoric into the legislative debate, and further fuel the scapegoating of refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and minorities," said Nathalie Godard of Amnesty International France in a statement.

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Social media posts removed

The Senate also approved an amendment to the bill allowing authorities to demand the rapid removal of social media content calling for "insurrection or taking up arms against the state".

Platforms would be required to remove such content within 24 hours or risk being blocked or removed from search results.

"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," Nuñez told senators.

The revised bill now goes to the National Assembly, the lower house of France's parliament, for further debate. 

It is also likely to face scrutiny in the courts. Legal experts have questioned whether collective liability would be compatible with principles enshrined in France's constitution, including individual responsibility and the presumption of innocence.

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With more protests planned this weekend, President Emmanuel Macron's government is under pressure to quell the unrest. 

Authorities will hold a high-level security meeting on Wednesday to discuss plans to maintain order, the president's office announced.

French businesses say they have lost ​millions of euros, either through looting and vandalism or by being forced to shut up shop and board their windows during protests. 

The interior minister offered his resignation last week after admitting security forces were overwhelmed by the unrest, though Macron kept him in place.

Meanwhile protesters have accused police of heavy-handed tactics, and lawyers have raised concerns over the fast-tracking of trials for some of those accused of involvement in the 17 October violence.

(with newswires)

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