NEW YORK (AP) – A debate has arisen among many Asian-Americans over the case of Peter Liang, a New York City police officer convicted of recklessly firing a shot that killed an innocent black man.

An estimated 10,000 mostly Chinese-American demonstrators rallied in New York last weekend in support of the Chinese-American officer. Many said they believe Liang is being made a scapegoat for acts of police brutality largely committed by whites.

They say prosecutors went ahead with the case because they weren’t worried about a backlash from a politically marginalized ethnic group.

But the protests in support of the officer have dismayed other Asian-Americans. Says one: “At the end of the day, he killed somebody who didn’t deserve to be killed.”