Some police were hospitalised in protests in the central province of Binh Thuan against the draft special economic zone (SEZ) law.
Fence is set up at the headquarters of the Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee to prevent protesters
According to representatives from the provincial people’s committee, the protests against the SEZ draft law that have been going on in the province turned more violent with government offices vandalised, cars burned and police attacked.
The disturbance began at about 5pm of June 10 when a group of people gathered and moved from Phan Thiet Market to the provincial People’s Committee building to protest draft law provisions on special administrative-economic units and leasing land at the units for up to 99 years.
The disorder reached its peak when hundreds of people threw stones at the headquarters of the Binh Thuan People’s Committee. Some even attacked police with homemade petrol bombs, stones and some other tools, and destroyed the fence and burned the sentry box and several rooms of the sentry force. They also damaged the fence around some other provincial agencies.
Traffic near the administration’s headquarters was paralysed while over 15 motorbikes were burned down and many facilities were destroyed.
Cars are burned down at the provincial Department of Planning and Investment.
Police were sent to the site, and the crowd was only dissolved by about 2am of June 11.
In the afternoon of June 11, protesters continued to rush into the police station in Phan Ri Town, damaging and setting fire to vehicles. On the evening of the same day, crowds continued gathering at the head office of the provincial people's committee and threw bricks and stones at the police.
The protestors also burned several cars at the provincial Department of Planning and Investment.
Police restored order around midnight and detained around 102 for disturbing public order.
Huynh Van Dien, chairman of Tuy Phong District People’s Committee, said that eight police were hospitalised due to being attacked by the protestors.
Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Head of the province's NA delegation, Huynh Thanh Canh told local media on the sidelines of the ongoing NA fifth session on June 11 that they would strictly punish those people and try prevent future similar incidents.
"They were just some extremists and not represent the voters in the province," Canh said. “If local voters have any ideas and opinions we are willing to listen to them. They should not follow those extremist to conduct illegal activities."
Dtinews