Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Son called for investigation of and strict penalties for leaders of extremist groups who incited crowds to cause disorder at the headquarters of Bình Thuan Province’s People’s Committee and surrounding areas in the past two days.
People causing disorder at Binh Thuan province’s People’s Committee headquarters are being held for investigation. – Photo courtesy of Ministry of Public Security
During a working session with the authorities of the south-central province on Monday, Son urged them to step up awareness of the schemes and tricks of extremists to prevent the public from being manipulated.
On Sunday afternoon, a group of people gathered and moved from Phan Thiet market to the building of the People’s Committee in Binh Thuan province to protest against the provisions of the draft law on special administrative-economic units and leasing of land at the units for up to 99 years.
They shouted and jostled police and guards at the building and incited bystanders to attack the police with bricks and stones.
The disorder reached its peak when hundreds of people threw stones at the headquarters of the provincial People’s Committee. Some even attacked the police with homemade petrol bombs, stones and other tools; destroyed the fence around the building and burnt the sentry box as well as several rooms of the sentry force. They also damaged the fence around some other provincial agencies.
At least 45 police officers were injured, while three cars and 20 motorbikes were burnt.
By Monday morning, 102 extremists were arrested, and the crowds were dispersed.
However, some people continued to throw bricks and stones until Monday afternoon and burnt cars parked at the headquarters of the fire rescue and prevention force at Phan Ri Cua town in Tuy Phong district.
Nearly 100 extremists were arrested on Monday night and many motorbikes were seized. Many of the arrested are drug addicts and criminals.
A majority of them are adolescents who confessed to being manipulated and receiving money to carry out the attacks. — VNS