ARCADIA >> Tears streaming down his cheeks, an Arcadia businessman Thursday called on the Los Angeles Police Department to afford Chinese Americans the same First Amendment rights exercised by other citizens.

Kin Hui, CEO of Singpoli Group, LLC and Singpoli Capital Corporation, said LAPD’s decision to revoke a permit that would have allowed about 1,000 people to march Sunday on City Hall in Los Angeles sends the message that Asian voices and Asian rights are less valuable than others in the community.

“All we want is to be treated equally,” Hui said. “We just want to be able to exercise our equal rights.”

• PHOTOS: Outrage over cancelled rally

The press conference in support of an organization known as the Chinese American Equalization Association, HQH, took place in a conference room in Hui’s Arcadia office building. Others who spoke explained the rally was one of several planned across the country to support New York City police Officer Peter Liang, and “local law enforcement.”

Members of the group hung a banner proclaiming their intentions, and came dressed in white T-shirts they planned to pass out to participants Sunday.

LAPD Officer Sam Park, who issued the permit, declined to comment Thursday. A co-worker deferred questions to the LAPD’s Media Relations section, a detective there referred questions back to Park, who was then unavailable.

A grand jury indicted Liang, a rookie police officer, for the fatal November shooting of 28-year-old Akai Gurleyan, an unarmed Brooklyn man who was shot to death in a darkened public housing building’s stairwell. Police officials said the shooting was an accident. Asian American activists say Liang has been made a scapegoat for the non-prosecutions of officers involved in similar fatal shootings, including the killing of Pasadena resident Kendrec McDade.

“What really counts for us is to be a part of the system,” said Mei Mei Ho Huff, wife of State Sen. Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar. “We don’t know if Liang’s innocent or guilty, we only ask for him to be treated equally.”

• VIDEO: Anger over revoked rally permit

Zhi Gao Jiang, who pulled the original rally permit, said he planned to have speeches on the steps of L.A. City Hall and then organize a march in the downtown area. He said the permit was granted on Monday and withdrawn on Tuesday.

Police officials said the event would conflict with the planned Fiesta Broadway, which is expected to draw 30,000 to downtown Los Angeles over the weekend.

Jiang said that after he was given permission to hold the rally he spent money organizing the event and planning logistics, which included renting buses to provide transportation to City Hall.

‘I was shocked and surprised,” Jiang said. “There was only a couple of days left. Everyone in this situation would be surprised. Everyone in this situation would be angry.”

Other money was spent for advertising online and in Chinese language newspapers throughout the region, said Ray Chen, who is on HQH’s board of directors.

“What the LAPD did is a direct violation of the Constitution,” Chen said. “They’ve violated our rights, more specifically they’ve violated our rights to free speech and peacefully assemble.”

Chen and Hui called on Asian Americans to stand up for their rights.

“An Asian-American organization has been bullied,” Chen added. “What do we need to do to be taken seriously? We are not second-class citizens.”