French Senate proposes coded liquid markers to track riot suspects after October protests

Proposal for coded liquid markers

The French Senate has put forward a recommendation that would allow police to deploy coded liquid markers during disruptive demonstrations. The measure appears in a set of 30 recommendations drafted after student protests on 17 October 2026 escalated into violent riots and looting. Recommendation 28.3 specifically mentions the use of coded liquid markers to facilitate arrests at a later time.

Each marker consists of an invisible liquid that can be sprayed from a paintball-type device up to five to seven meters. The liquid is odorless, painless and stays on skin for weeks while traces on clothing can be detected for months under ultraviolet light. A unique code links each marker to a specific police operation.

Concerns over false positives

Critics warn that the wide dispersal radius could tag peaceful protesters, medical staff and journalists who are not involved in violence. In a 2023 protest at Sainte-Soline, police used marking agents and two people were detained, including a freelance journalist who spent 28 hours in custody. Another detainee reported a transferred mark between his fingers after brief contact with another person.

Such cases illustrate the risk of wrongful detention and raise questions about the proportionality of the technology.

Broader police technology and response

French authorities made 2,400 arrests across the country while nearly 1,000 officers were injured and more than 1,500 shops were vandalised during the October unrest. The proposal also calls for expanded use of drones and body cameras, while investigators are examining footage from roughly 80,000 cameras. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said facial recognition will compare mugshots with images posted on social networks.

Online marketplaces such as Vinted saw a surge of stolen goods listed with the hashtag October 17, and the platform said it is cooperating with law enforcement. The government has urged social media companies including Meta and TikTok to increase moderation of riot-related content, livestreams and calls for violence.

Sources: Cybernews