Some frightening news of hate out of France... In Paris, the city's ethnic Chinese residents say they are being systematically targeted, attacked and robbed at a rate of at least one incident each day, with increasing brutality: Chinese immigrants to France attacked in Paris.Sounds a lot like what often happens here, stateside. Most of the muggings have taken place in the city's 20th district, and community's Chinese residents are now speaking out, publicly demonstrating and calling for authorities to take action:
Local officials are not unsympathetic and the police say they have put extra officers on the streets.The mayor says she believes the attacks aren't motivated by racism... but she acknowledges that the Chinese people are attacked often because they're seen as easy targets who carry a lot of cash. Is that not then a racially motivated crime? Either way, what the hell are authorities doing about it?
But budgets are limited and residents say there still are not enough patrols, especially when they are most needed, at night, when the streets are deserted.
The mayor of the 20th district, Frederique Calandra, said she believed the attacks were not motivated by racism.
"Chinese people are attacked very often, not because of racist problems but because thugs have this opportunity of making money easily, because Chinese people are used to carrying cash - a lot of cash," said Ms Calandra.
The Chinese may have become targets because they are seen as relatively prosperous. Some of them run shops or restaurants, and it is hard for them to avoid carrying large amounts of cash after they close their businesses for the day.