French stage anti-racism protest after Chinese man’s death

Crowds rallied Sunday in the French capital to urge an end to violence against the Asian community, after the beating death of a Chinese tailor called new attention to ethnic tensions in Paris suburbs.

The prime minister tweeted his support for the march, organized by anti-racism and Chinese community groups calling for better police protection. Local officials and representatives of the governing Socialist Party also took part.

The spark for the protest was the death of Chaolin Zhangh last month in the Paris suburb of Aubervilliers after a robbery attempt. The victim’s lawyer says the attack was ethnically motivated, and the area’s Chinese immigrant community says it is routinely targeted by armed robbers and violence.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve met with Zhangh’s family and the mayor of Aubervilliers, home to a large Chinese community and textile industry, and promised better security.