PROTEST ERUPTS AS POLICE KILLING EXPOSES ANGER, FEAR OF CHINESE

PARIS Chinese immigrants and China’s government are protesting a police killing in Paris that prompted violent street clashes and exposed the fears and frustrations of France’s large Asian community.

Protesters gathered Tuesday in northeast Paris for a second day of demonstrations over the fatal shooting of a Chinese man in his apartment, and police launched an internal investigation into a death that took on diplomatic implications.

Police said an officer fired in selfdefence during a raid after the man wounded an officer with a “bladed weapon.” Rumours circulated among Chinese immigrants that 56-year-old Shaoyo Liu was in front of his children while cutting up fish with scissors and had not hurt anyone.

Protesters outraged by the killing and baton-wielding police clashed for several hours on Monday night. Three police officers were injured and 35 protesters arrested, authorities said Tuesday.

France’s Foreign Ministry responded Tuesday by calling the security of Chinese in France “a priority.”

The move did not calm some 100 people from Paris’ Asian community who gathered at the police station on Tuesday afternoon.

France is home to Europe’s largest population of ethnic Chinese, a community that routinely accuses police of not doing enough to protect it from racism.