France proposes up to €10,000 joint liability for protest damage
France wants to hit rioters with payments of up to €10,000 for the damage they cause after October 17's protests turned destructive.
The government says this is about "joint responsibility," but human rights groups worry it could punish peaceful protesters, not just troublemakers.
Group members could face joint liability
If passed, anyone knowingly belonging to a group could be held jointly liable for any damage caused by any member of that group, even if they didn't personally break anything.
For minors, their parents' welfare benefits might be cut.
French businesses and retailers say they have suffered losses worth millions of euros due to looting and vandalism, but France's Human Rights League (LDH) and trade unionists called for the proposed legislation to be scrapped.
The whole debate boils down to finding a fair balance between keeping order and protecting protest rights.