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Fight over a name

Supporters of giving the name Little Saigon to a section of San Jose demonstrate outside the City Council chambers March 4. Members of the Vietnamese community sparred with some city officials over whether to call it the Saigon Business District or Little Saigon.

Supporters of giving the name Little Saigon to a section of San Jose demonstrate outside the City Council chambers March 4. Members of the Vietnamese community sparred with some city officials over whether to call it the Saigon Business District or Little Saigon.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

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Supporters of giving a section of San Jose the name Little Saigon march outside the City Council chambers. Emotions boiled over at a March 4 council meeting when members of the Vietnamese community sparred with some city officials over naming a square mile of Vietnamese businesses south of downtown. Many in the large audience wanted the area to be called Little Saigon but Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilwoman Madison Nguyen favored calling it the Saigon Business District. Just a few in the audience agreed with Reed and Nguyen.

Madison

Some in the audience of a City Council meeting forcefully demand that part of San Jose be named Little Saigon.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Madison

Residents wait to testify at a San Jose City Council meeting on their preferences for naming a section of town containing many Vietnamese businesses.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Madison Nguyen

Councilwoman Madison Nguyen listens during a public hearing on naming a section of San Jose with predominantly Vietnamese businesses. She favored calling it the Saigon Business District.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Madison

Some San Jose residents make their preference known at a City Council meeting.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

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