Thousands of angry Chinese immigrants demonstrated in a Paris suburb yesterday (Sun) to demand police protection from muggers who they say prey on them because they are seen as easy targets.

The death of a 49-year-old Chinese tailor after being badly beaten in a robbery earlier this month has lent new urgency to the long running complaint that Asian immigrants are systematically attacked and robbed in the French capital.

“The Chinese community is dying in silence,” read a slogan on a T-shirt splashed with red to symbolise bloodstains worn by one demonstrator, Maike Song.

He said he joined the protest in Aubervilliers to pay homage to Chaoling Zhang, the father of two who died on August 14 after being punched to ground in the north-eastern suburb that is home to some 4,000 Chinese immigrants.