France, Oct. 28 -- 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 demonstrat...