French police have repeatedly come under fire for alleged misconduct during operations in poor parts of Paris and surrounding suburbs, but the Chinese community have now raised their voices after one of their own fell victim.
The tragedy occurred Sunday night in the 19th district, where a Chinese man named Liu Shaoyo was shot dead.
Police say the officer who fired the shots acted in self-defense. However, Liu’s family says the shooting was unprovoked, claiming Liu was preparing fish before he was shot.
A man in his pijamas looks out his window as police clash with demonstrators during a protest in front of the police headquarters in the 19th arrondissement of Paris on March 28, 2017, following the death of a Chinese national during a police intervention on March 26. /CFP Photo
Liu was 56 and a father of five.
"He's normal, also friendly. Although people say he had mental issues, I don't know for sure. I never saw him acting violently. I run into him sometimes at the car park. He would smile at me,” said one of Liu’s neighbors. “He always had a smile on his face. Actually I'm sad. French police officers should have not done it. I feel sorry for his family.”
Paris has a Chinese community estimated to be between 200,000-300,000 people. Many of the first generation Chinese nationals who live in the French capital arrived in the 1980's.
The shooting was the first time a Chinese man was shot dead at his home by the police in France.
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