Key facts
- Proposed French law would make rioters liable for up to €10,000 in damages.
- Critics say the bill could hold legitimate protesters responsible for violence.
- The law allows for the seizure of welfare entitlements to pay for damages.
- Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated the bill creates 'joint responsibility'.
A proposed law in France that would hold rioters liable for damages up to €10,000 is facing significant criticism from rights groups and lawyers. The government, led by President Emmanuel Macron, argues the bill is necessary to compensate victims of vandalism that often accompanies social protests. However, critics contend that the wording of the draft bill could unfairly implicate peaceful demonstrators in acts of violence, thereby undermining the fundamental right to protest. The bill states that anyone knowingly part of a group causing damage could be held jointly responsible, and it also permits the seizure of welfare entitlements to cover costs.