Guo Qing Zhong's Brutal Assault
On January 31, 1990, Guo Qing (Peter) Zhong’s life changed forever. After crossing the Williamsburg Bridge while driving home to Bushwick with his eight-year-old son, wife, and mother-in-law, Zhong was stopped by two white police officers from the 90th Precinct alleging that he had passed through a red light. During the exchange, Zhong, due to his limited English proficiency, struggled to understand what the officers were saying. When the family exited the vehicle, the officers asked Zhong to put his hands in the air. Despite complying with the order, the officers responded by slamming his head against the car window, choking him with a nightstick, handcuffing him, and calling for backup. As his family looked on in horror, Zhong was stomped on and kicked by a crowd of police officers, one of whom jumped up and down on his chest causing him to lose consciousness. Another officer falsely informed Zhong’s wife that he had died, resulting in her passing out [1].
Zhong showing his injuries to the press on February 7
CAAAV Digital Archive
Zhong was carried, unconscious, by officers to the police station where upon awakening he was advised not to request medical assistance or an attorney to facilitate a speedier release. 24 hours later he was treated at Jamaica Hospital after being unable to withstand the pain in his chest. After two nights in jail, Zhong was released from custody. At his arraignment, the police charges were reduced to misdemeanor assault. The injuries he suffered were extensive, consisting of severe hemorrhaging in both eyes which led to lingering irritation and blurring of his vision along with persistent chest pain that lasted several weeks. As a result, Zhong, a truck driver, was unable to work for over two months after the assault. His son, who was deeply traumatized by the incident, did not return to school for multiple days and suffered from nightmares [2].
CAAAV responded immediately by helping the family acquire Eric Poulos, an attorney experienced in police brutality cases, as counsel. The organization referred Zhong for further medical care, brought his story to the attention of the city’s media through a press conference held on February 7, and gathered supporters to protest at Zhong’s court appearances. During a meeting with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office, CAAAV officials demanded that the charges against Zhong be dismissed and that others be brought against the officers who had brutalized him.
Zhong (fourth from the left) standing with his attorney, Eric Poulos (to Zhong's right), family, supporters, and CAAAV members at a press conference celebrating the dismissal of criminal charges against him
CAAAV Digital Archive
The legal pressure CAAAV and the surrounding Asian American community asserted over the subsequent months led to all criminal charges against Zhong being dropped on October 1. Brooklyn’s DA, Charles Hynes, delayed the case for an unusual eight court appearances before finally concluding that there was a lack of evidence to support charges of assault, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration. This decision was rather remarkable given the low probability of its occurrence. Typically, only in instances of extreme community outrage—as was the case following the police beating of the Wong and Woo family—were the courts willing to drop charges against victims [3].
The dismissal of charges against Zhong renewed his family’s faith in the ability of collective action to bring awareness to acts of abuse and discrimination. Zhong’s sister, Marie Soohoo, remarked: “Before, when these things happened to other people, we didn’t think that we could help, or that it had anything to do with us. Now I understand that when people get together they are strong and they can win justice” [4]. CAAAV’s organizing for Zhong emphasized the substantial power that can be derived from bringing Asian communities together in the fight to challenge systemic racism and violence. Soohoo also expressed deep admiration for CAAAV itself, which had no obligation to provide assistance but had done so anyway without a moment’s hesitation.
“This was not your problem, but you came and gave us so much support. That made us feel a lot more hopeful. People sometimes say there is no compassion in the United States, but we think there is a lot” [5].
Beyond the activism facilitated by CAAAV, Zhong took matters into his own hands, filing a complaint with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to charge that the police officers on scene had choked him with a nightstick, jumped on him, and pressed nightsticks against his temple. One and a half years later, the Board concluded that there was “insufficient evidence to prove or disprove Zhong’s charges” [6]. Even so, the Board did acknowledge that an unidentified officer had struck Zhong’s face against the car. This admission, like the dismissal of criminal charges, was exceptional in light of the fact that at the time, 96% of all complaints filed with the CCRB were deemed unsubstantiated. In a letter to Zhong from July 26, 1991, the CCRB “recommended that disciplinary action be taken against the subject officer” [7]. The Board’s investigation and substantiation of Zhong’s charges marked a significant victory, signaling that the NYPD was not entirely above reproach.
Nevertheless, the fight against police brutality did not stop with Zhong as the NYPD continued its brutal attacks against New York’s vulnerable Asian communities.
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[1] CAAAV, “Brooklyn Police Gang Up On Asian Driver,” CAAAV Voice Newsletter, Spring 1990, 1.
[2] CAAAV, “Brooklyn Police Gang Up On Asian Driver,” CAAAV Voice Newsletter, Spring 1990, 3.
[3] CAAAV, “Zhong Cleared—To Sue Police,” CAAAV Voice Newsletter, Winter 1991, 2.
[4] CAAAV, “Zhong Cleared—To Sue Police,” CAAAV Voice Newsletter, Winter 1991, 5.
[5] Ibid.
[6] CAAAV, “Guo Quing (Peter) Zhong,” CAAAV Voice Newsletter, Fall 1991, 5.
[7] Ibid.