French Senate passes protest-damage liability bill

France’s Senate has passed an expanded bill that could make some people involved in demonstrations financially liable for damage, including through the seizure of certain benefits. The measure passed 229 votes to 105 and now goes to the National Assembly for debate and a vote; it is not yet law. Under the bill, participants could be ordered to pay up to €10,000 for damage caused during demonstrations. It provides for joint liability for people found to have knowingly joined a group formed to commit vandalism, and for some who remain at a gathering likely to disrupt public order after police issue two dispersal warnings. The Senate-approved version would also allow welfare benefits and housing assistance to be seized to recover damage costs. It adds other forms of social assistance, including the family supplement, back-to-school allowance and employment bonus. The provisions would apply under the bill’s terms, but the National Assembly has yet to consider the measure. Supporters have presented the bill as a response to damage during demonstrations. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told senators that the government should not leave the wider public to bear the costs caused by a...