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Such an event took place in the Flushing District, New York on August 17: Yang Decai, a 72-year-old Chinese teacher from a University in Beijing who went to the US to visit his family, fell into disputes with an American policeman for parking car at a wrong place.
Then more than a score of policemen rushed to the spot in 8 cars, surrounded Yang and his son Yang Lin, beat them badly in the street and further arrested them. The incident, held as another typical example of American policemen abusing their power, has triggered off great indignation from local Chinese community.
Father and Son Beaten by Policemen in the Street
Around 4 pm that day, 31-year-old Yang Lin parked his car outside the parking line when shopping in the district together with his father and wife, according to World Daily, a local Chinese-language newspaper.
At that time a black policeman and a Chinese-American policewoman passed by in a patrolling car, the latter gave out a writ of fine under the name of illegal parking. Yang Lin argued with the policewoman, hoping she would take back her bill. However, the black policeman, sitting in car, thought Yang, intending to attack his colleague, got off and seized Yang by his neck and at the same time beat his back violently.
Yang's father, eager to save his son from police's hand, also got off in a hurry. But his action was also viewed as attacking the police, and the black policeman immediately called local police station. In five minutes over a score of police officers rushed to the spot, handcuffed Yang Lin and pushed him into a police car. Meanwhile two white policemen flattened Yang's old father to the ground with a single kick, who tried once and again to get up, but had been pressed on the street on his face. The Chinese-American policewoman standing by tried to stop her colleges' rough behavior but to no avail.
Gathering around the spot, near a hundred Chinese people couldn't help shouting "policemen beat!" Later, policemen arrested both father and son and transferred them to judicial departments under the charge of hindering official duties, resisting and attacking the police. Yang and his father were released until August 18 afternoon and the case will be heard on September 9.
Strong Indignation from Local Chinese Community
The incident has roused great concern from local Chinese community. Many people expressed their strong dissatisfaction against American policemen who should beat a 72-year-old man in public. Treating an armless old man in this way is apparently resorting to violence which had gone beyond the so-called "justifiable self-defense", a lawyer said.
The local police paid great attention to the incident. Chief of the 109 police bureau of Flushing District cut short his vacation and rushed to the spot in early morning on August 18 to get a picture of the whole thing from witnesses. He also hoped to know the opinion of local Chinese and do some work in explanation and communication. Now the case is still under investigation, and the policemen would be duly punished if they were found at wrong, he said.
It is viewed illegal to touch any part of police's body when they are carrying out duties, the police chief also said, adding that policemen has right, under the precondition of protecting himself, to take action in order to prevent crimes. A senior Chinese-American policeman also said that in the US, policemen have absolute authority in their duties, but most Chinese newcomers guess they could "bargain" with policemen, not knowing that any of their gestures made during their argument would be regarded as provocation. It is this cultural difference that leads to many similar incidents in Chinese community. But this is the first time that such an incident caused large-scale clash between police and local Chinese.
Now the New York police station has dispatched staff for the investigation, and ready to make known to public if any results are achieved.
( August 22, 2002)
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