“Scapegoat No Way”: Chicago Chinese Americans back NYPD ex-cop Peter Liang

By Yingxu Jane Hao

A

nger toward the conviction of ex-New York City police officer Peter Liang brought Chinese Americans to downtown Chicago over the weekend to demand a fair trial for him and fair treatment for the Chinese American community.

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Liang, the 28-year-old rookie cop is the first NYPD officer prosecuted and convicted in a police-involved shooting in the past 10 years. Protesters believe Liang was treated unfairly compared with white officers in similar cases because he belongs to an ethnic minority.

The march in Chicago coincided with about 30 other protests held across the country from New York to Los Angeles. Liang is to be sentenced on April 14. Organizers in Chicago said the march was aimed to put pressure on the judge to set aside the verdict or give Liang probation.

Photo at top: Chicago Chinese Americans protest against the conviction of former NYPD officer Peter Liang.(Yingxu Jane Hao/MEDILL)