Councilman John Liu and over a hundred people of various ethnicities rallied to support Jin Kelly, a Chinese mother who is fighting for her son’s custody. Liu criticized the New York Police Department for placing Kelly on their “Most Wanted” list. According to Liu, it is outrageous that the police should equate her with murderers, burglars, and arsonists.

Liu repeatedly used the word “disgusting” when describing how Kelly was treated by the police. He held up a photograph of Kelly holding her son, Tristram, whom she has not seen for 638 days, and angrily asked what atrocity Kelly had committed to provoke this inhumane treatment. According to Liu, Kelly has twice been victimized, first by her abusive husband, and now by the judicial system.

Liu is furious that a Manhattan family court judge adamantly refused to turn over custody to Kelly, or grant visitation rights to her own son. “Even murderers have the right to see their children. On what ground is Kelly’s right denied?” asked Liu.

Kelly’s case was first brought to the public’s attention after she violated a court order and took her son from the United States to China. She cited her former husband’s abusive behavior as the reason, saying that she feared for her and her son’s safety. Nevertheless, she was charged by the court after she returned to United States and was arrested for a misdemeanor. The court gave custody of her child to her husband’s sister, refusing to return Kelly’s son to her after she was released from prison early this year. She is now fighting her former sister-in-law in the court for custody of her four-year-old son.

In the spirit of October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Liu said, “It is time to stop this unequal treatment and unite the abused mother with her own son.”

In addition to Liu, Kelly was supported yesterday by Bill de Blasio, Chair of the City Council Committee for General Welfare; Tracy L. Boyland, Chair of the Women’s Issues Committee; and members of dozens of Chinese, Korean, Southeast Asian, and Hispanic groups. York Chan, president of Chinese Consolidated Business Association (CCBA) – one of the most prestigious organizations in Chinatown – was also present.

Chan said that most of the Chinese he spoke to about the case felt violated as well. He urged the family court to reunite Kelly and her son as soon as possible.

Zhan Zhonlin, who emigrated from the same area of China as Kelly and has been supporting her over the past few years, said that he was very happy about the rally, especially with council members standing by her. He hoped more Chinese community members and groups will come out and support Kelly in her fight for justice.

Angela Lee, associate director of New York Asian Women’s Center, an organization that works with abused women and children affected by domestic violence, said that it is unbelievable that a woman who was threatened by her husband at gunpoint has to be punished by the court again just because she wants to be with her son. She said that Asian Women’s Center will help women in similar situations, and urged other abused women to come forward.