April 26 :Upcoming Multi-City Rallies To Be Held In Support Of NYPD Officer Peter Liang

​​​​​​​FOR ALL PRESS INQUIRIES:
​​​​​​​Jerry Chan
CAACR.nyc@gmail.com
(707) 722-2279

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COALITION OF ASIAN-AMERICANS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS DENOUNCES UNEQUAL TREATMENT AND BIASED PROSECUTION OF A CHINESE-AMERICAN COP
Asian-American Civil Rights Group Announces Upcoming Multi-City Rallies
To Be Held In Support Of NYPD Officer Peter Liang

BROOKLYN- Asian-American leaders from across the greater New York City area, joined by elected officials, other community leaders and supporters, gathered today in Brooklyn to denounce the biased prosecution of NYPD Officer Peter Liang by the office of the Brooklyn District Attorney. They also announced an upcoming day of rallies on April 26, 2015, to be held in cities across the Nation from NYC to California as a sign of protest against the unduly harsh and unequal treatment afforded the rookie police officer.

​"The charges in the indictment against Officer Liang is to please the general public. Officer Liang is simply sacrificed for political reason," stated John Chen, a Chairperson of the CAACR.

​“Our community demands Officer Liang receives fair treatment under the law” said Jerry
Shiao, President of Lin Sing Association in Chinatown and a Co-Chair of the CAACR.

​The nationwide rallies will build on a 3,000 person rally at City Hall earlier this month held to show support for the officers of the New York Police Department and to call for justice for Peter Liang. The coordinated protests are a call to action for Asian-Americans, their neighbors, and allies to demand a fair trial and transparency from the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson, which has so far failed to address community concerns.

​State Assemblyman William Colton, who represents the Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Dyker Heights and Midwood neighborhoods in Brooklyn, stated by separate press release that “The fact only Officer Liang was indicted raises many questions regarding fairness. Why was there no consideration of an indictment of “NYCHA” for failing to restore the lighting and causing a dangerous condition of darkness in the staircases? Why was only Officer Liang indicted for failing to immediately report the incident when Officer Liang’s partner was also present and also failed to immediately call in the incident?”

​“We understand that there's a loss of life. This was an unfortunate tragic accident. Officer Liang's misfiring should have been under NYPD disciplinary actions, not under our legal system. The charges are simply inappropriate,” said Steve Chung, a Brooklyn community leader.

​“What we have here is a political prosecution,” Queens civil rights activist Phil Gim and Co-Chair of the CAACR said, continuing “the Brooklyn DA’s office thought they would easily steamroll the Chinese community and that we would stay quiet, but they were wrong. We’re standing up for ourselves, and we’re demanding that Peter Liang get the fair, unbiased treatment he deserves.”

​ “Officer Liang is being used as a scapegoat,” Nassau County Community Leader and Co-Chair of the CAACR Doug Lee said. “As the tragic death of Akai Gurley was clearly an accident, there is no logical explanation for the severity of charges against him and the aggressive manner in which he is prosecuted. This is clearly selective enforcement of the law for political purposes.”

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ABOUT CAACR: The Coalition of Asian-Americans for Civil Rights is a grass-roots action, advocacy and political education organization founded to defend and advance the civil rights of Asian-Americans. Even as the Asian-American population of the United States has grown, Asian-Americans have found themselves increasingly marginalized by the government, media, and other groups who easily dismiss the politically developing minority. Recent events have galvanized the community and allies, resulting in a 3,000-strong City Hall rally earlier this month in support of NYPD Officer Peter Liang.

ABOUT OFFICER LIANG: On November 20 2014, two rookie officers, Liang and his partner, were patrolling a high-crime public housing complex. When Officer Liang opened the door to the pitch black stairwell, he accidentally discharged his service weapon. The bullet ricocheted off the side wall on the eighth floor and fatally struck Mr. Akai Gurley one story below. While NYPD report and major media outlets described this event as an unfortunate accident, Officer Liang was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of official misconduct. This indictment came right after months of mass protests in New York City in the wake of a Staten Island grand jury's refusal to indict a police officer in Eric Garner’s death.