Protesters clash with Paris police over shooting of Chinese man
The Chinese community has taken to the streets after the death of Shaoyo Liu, shot by police in front of his children.
A fourth night of protests broke out in central Paris over the police killing of a Chinese man at his home in the French capital.
Father-of-five Shaoyo Liu was shot dead on 26 March when police broke down the door of his apartment. Police claim that the shooting was an act of self-defence as Liu tried to attack them with a bladed object. Liu's family dispute this claim, arguing that he didn't attempt to hurt anyone and was holding a pair of scissors which he was using to cut open a fish.
Two hundred protesters took to the streets, waving banners bearing slogans such as "colonialist police" and "wake up French Asians! You are still oppressed in this country" on Thursday night (30 March).
France is home to the largest group of ethnic Chinese, who have regularly accused French police of not doing enough to protect them. In September 2016, members of the Chinese community held rallies in Paris after a Chinese tailor was beaten to death.
"Chinese are targets for crime because they often carry cash and many don't have residence permits, so can be threatened easily. They're angry with police for not protecting them enough," Pierre Picquart, an expert on China at the University of Paris VIII, told Associated Press.
Three officers received minor injuries during the protests and one police vehicle was damaged, according to Agence France Presse. Since protests broke out on Monday (27 March), 45 people have been arrested.
People also gathered throughout the capital to hold vigils for Liu. His family have called for calm, while a spokesperson for the foreign ministry has stressed that the security of Chinese nationals in France is "a priority."
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