Thousands rally for ex-NYPD officer Liang across US

Voices from around the country

New York

Gia Vita, a stylist from Harlem, was a first-time protester who said she went to Brooklyn because the conviction was a "total injustice. I see the truth. He happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was innocent."

Washington

Thomas Fong, vice-chairman, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA):

We are here to rise up. We are here to stand up. We are no longer here to be pushed aside. We are here to take our stand in our rightful place at America's table.

We are here to raise our voice and to make known that we will not be pushed around, and we will not take a back seat to anybody else in our country.

Robert Lock of Washington

I am 71. It's the first time in my life to attend any rally. I felt I needed to come down here. He (Peter Liang) doesn't deserve where he is now. Definitely (he has faced injustice), because from everything I read, it was an accident, and it was not intentional; he shot this person in an accident.

I hope they change the justice system. … They (Chinese Americans) should be more outspoken.

San Francisco

Arthur Dong, veteran community leader

I won't think it's wise to stage any large demonstration before the final sentencing. What if that rally would irritate the black community, and they as a result organize an even bigger protest against Peter Liang? This tit-for-tat is not a good strategy. I would donate to help the Liang family to seek the most professional legal consultancy and assistance. I thought this might be the most efficient and effective way to help officer Peter."

Shao Yang, member of the Fremont Unified School District,

I joined the rally to show support for legal justice and opposition for selective prosecution. This is my yes and no.

Audrey Alice, a photographer from Lake Tahoe, California

It (the bullet) hit someone, and they are calling it a crime, but it was really just an accident, because he was trying to stop what was happening. I've seen multiple protests and rallies throughout San Francisco because I come down here a lot.

When I saw the signs across street, I wanted to go over there! … I think it's great that the community is coming together to protest what is happening because he is being treated unfairly, so I think it is great they are doing this."

Andy Wang, an organizer of the San Francisco rally

We seek a fair trial and justice through a peaceful rally. We don't want to see two victims from one tragedy. It's a tragedy for Akai Gurley, who is a victim. But he is not the victim of Peter Liang, but the fault of New York City, which didn't invest enough money to improve the community, and that's why it is so dangerous. And also they (invested) less money in the NYPD to get proper training for the police, so these (issues) altogether made it a tragedy, not the fault of Peter Liang.

Don Sun, president of the Silicon Valley Chapter of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA)

The Chinese community has not paid enough attention to the US judiciary branch. I hope today's rally could serve as a starting point but not a finishing point. When we get back home, we should think about taking actions affecting the judiciary and executive branches but not stop at street rallies.

Our chapter of APAPA will work to team up with police, district attorneys and all Asian-American elected officials to file a petition to Judge Danny Chun for leniency while showing our due respect to the US judicial system and the jury's verdict."