Protest Turns Violent in Little Saigon

A man yelling pro-communist Vietnam slogans threw a bottle through a car window in Little Saigon late Sunday, shattering a daylong peaceful demonstration and triggering a violent scuffle.

About two dozen protesters attacked the man they believed was responsible, punching him in the face and kicking him as he ran across Bolsa Avenue to a strip mall where some protesters held him for police. The man, who was detained by officers, was not identified.

The beating occurred as demonstrators, who numbered nearly 2,000 earlier in the day, were holding candlelight vigils outside a video store where a photo of Communist leader Ho Chi Minh and a Vietnamese flag were rehung Saturday.

Thirty-one people were arrested Saturday while protesting the hated icons of Communist Vietnam.

Sunday promised to be much calmer, with police vowing to stay away unless the crowd grew unruly or video store owner Truong Van Tran returned.

Police said late Sunday that they were investigating the assault but had made no arrests.

“It could be a mutual combat type of thing,” said Westminster Police Lt. Bob Amren.

Demonstrations for most of the day had been peaceful, due in large part, protesters said, to a decision by Westminster police to stay away--and by the absence of Tran.

Police said the man who was beaten had arrived at the video store just before the 9:45 p.m. incident. Up to that point, Amren said, the protest was peaceful and uneventful.

Early Sunday, Tran’s storefront window was covered with the yellow and red flag of the former South Vietnam and the day was filled with speeches, anti-communist songs and traditional Vietnamese New Year pageantry. Hundreds of passing motorists were given paper South Vietnamese flags.

Westminster Police Lt. Bill Lewis said he met with protesters Sunday morning to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s clash.

“We have an understanding with the organizers that as long as this is a peaceful demonstration, the police will keep their distance,” Lewis said.

Dinh Lee of Fountain Valley said the police presence Saturday angered protesters.

“When the police are here, they make us nervous,” said Lee, who had been outside the video store since 5:30 a.m. “As long as they don’t come here, we will be peaceful.”

Protesters became provoked Saturday morning when Tran and his wife, Kim Thi Nguyen, rehung the flag and a photo of Ho Chi Minh on their store’s back wall. The couple then knelt and bowed to the photo before leaving in a police van.

Tran did not show up at his store as of Sunday evening, and police said they had no idea of his plans.

The 31 people arrested in Saturday’s melee were cited and released later in the day, police said.

Quang Win said he was one of the demonstrators who clashed with police Saturday when Tran returned to the store to rehang the picture and flag.

“I tried to get closer so I could see Tran,” said Win, who was not arrested. “The police just started pushing everyone and yelling at us. That makes us angry. We have a right to be here too.”

Police Lt. Lewis said that as long as protesters are “peaceful, then we have no problem. They weren’t peaceful on Saturday.”

Sunday, demonstrators spilled onto the sidewalk near Bolsa Avenue and Bushard Street, backing up traffic for more than a mile. Cars made U-turns and horns blared for hours. Some motorists stopped their vehicles to get out and jump around in support of the protest.

Outside the video store, Ky Ngo and others vowed to continue protesting as long as the Communist symbols remained on Tran’s wall.

Ngo, a community activist, said all Tran has to do is remove the flag and photo and he will be forgiven.

“We will open our arms and welcome him back to our free community,” Ngo said. “We have no reason to hate him. I know he has the right to do this, but the law isn’t everything.”

The protesters said they don’t think there will be a resolution any time soon now that Tran is fighting his eviction in the courts.

“‘We’ll stay here forever if we have to,” said Dan Nugent, 44, of Westminster, who planned to remain at the store through this morning. “It’s a competition between us and Tran. We’re tired, but we don’t plan to give up.”

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Times photographer Al Schaben and staff writer Jean O. Pasco contributed to this report.