Rallies protest conviction of officer
Chinese-Americans across the U.S. gather to oppose Peter Liang’s treatment in New York
Chinese-Americans from across the Valley converged Saturday morning at the state Capitol in protest of a guilty verdict in a recent New York City police officer’s manslaughter case.
A jury last week found Peter Liang guilty of manslaughter and official misconduct in the November 2014 case in which an unarmed Black man was fatally shot. Liang’s supporters have said the conviction is unfair and that the officer was made a scapegoat.
In a show of solidarity, Chinese-American groups in 35 cities across the U.S. protested Liang’s conviction in a synchronized rally Saturday.
“As a community we should not remain silent,” said Frank Zhang, who attended the rally in Phoenix. “As we all know, in the past two years, from Ferguson to Baltimore to Houston to New York, tensions between police officers and communities of color are at an all-time high.
“I think politics needs scapegoats and, unfortunately, Peter Liang was sacrificed.”
Nearly 150 people joined together at the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza to express their frustration in what they deemed “selective justice” in Liang’s verdict.
Carrying American flags, signs that stated “No Scapegoat” and “Accident Not Crime,” the group marched around the park chanting messages of discontent in the shadow of the state Capitol.
“When injustice happens, we all have the obligation to raise our voice and our opinion,” said Jian Wu, of Laveen. “It’s not to say that Officer Liang did nothing wrong, it’s to say why we treat this incident differently than others.”
The event was also meant for Valley residents to express their sympathy for the victim, 28-year-old Akai Gurley.
Gurley was struck by a bullet after Liang’s gun was shot inside a dimlylit public-housing stairwell, the bullet striking a wall and ricocheting into Gurley’s chest.
Liang and his partner witnessed Gurley’s friend administer CPR, as they felt he was better equipped to do it, Liang testified.
Gurley was transported to a Brooklyn hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
During the trial, prosecutors attested Liang recklessly shot Gurley in the stairwell, while defense attorneys argued it was an accident.
Fei Wang, of Chandler, said she felt immense sympathy for both Liang’s and the victim’s families.
“As a parent myself, I can’t imagine the pain both families are going through,” Wang said.