Who will pay $1 billion for damages caused by the riots in Europe? Why are governments targeting parents and social networks? Decoded | Today’s news
Governments across Europe are considering tougher measures to hold rioters, their families and social media platforms accountable for damage caused during violent protests, the AP reported.
The latest example came from France, where lawmakers backed a proposal that could allow authorities to claw back riot-related compensation from family benefits, including housing benefits.
The move follows a wave of violent unrest in France earlier this month, when protests over the cost of living escalated into some of the country’s worst riots in years. Damage was estimated at more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), with thousands of shops reportedly looted or damaged and fires destroying public property, according to the AP.
The French Senate approved the proposed measure by 229 votes to 105, less than two weeks after the riots.
The legislation seeks to hold not only those directly involved in the violence, but also some members of a riotous group financially responsible for damages caused by others, the AP reported.
The debate is also spreading beyond the borders of France. Governments across Western Europe are increasingly exploring how to prevent violent demonstrations, defray the costs of public unrest and address the role of online platforms in organizing protests.
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Why France wants rioters and their families to pay
Under proposed French legislation, people who knowingly join a group preparing to commit violence could face financial liability of up to €10,000 for damages caused by members of that group.
The provision could also apply to individuals who knowingly remain with a violent mob after police have ordered it to disperse, with liability potentially extending to damages caused afterward, according to the AP.
The proposal goes further by expanding the sources from which authorities can recover compensation.
French law already generally makes parents liable for damages caused by their children under 18.
The extent of the losses in France strengthened this argument. During the 2023 unrest, insurers paid out 793 million euros for 16,400 claims, according to France Assureurs, the country’s federation of insurers, as reported by the AP.
However, human rights organizations have warned that the proposed law could punish people who did not personally commit violent acts.
Amnesty International France’s Nathalie Godard warned that the seizure of welfare benefits could have serious consequences for some of the country’s poorest families.
Read also | Bastille to Yellow Vests: How Protests Shaped France’s Political History
The legislation received support from the far right in the conservative-led Senate. It must now pass through the National Assembly, where no political bloc has a majority.
The proposal also echoes a long-standing demand by Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Assembly party, who has pushed for rioters to be held financially accountable through benefit confiscation. The government has now taken a similar approach, the AP report said.
How social media is becoming part of the riots debate
European authorities are also increasingly concerned about the role of social media in mobilizing crowds and spreading calls for violent demonstrations.
A popular protest tactic among French students, known as the bloc or school blockade, has crossed borders and appeared in online campaigns in Spain.
In Barcelona, social media posts using the hashtag called for people to gather in Plaza Catalunya on October 24. QR codes circulating online reportedly directed users to WhatsApp and Telegram channels.
According to the AP agency, the head of the Catalan interior, Núria Parlon, described the online mobilization in an interview with the Spanish radio station Cadena SER.
As European governments grapple with the costs of the unrest, the debate is increasingly shifting from how to control the unrest to who should ultimately pay for it.
