Four young men appeared in court for smashing police cars

These defendants threw rocks at police cars and broke bus windows, so they were sentenced to the above sentences.

Specifically, defendant Nguyen Van Tuan (born in 1988) was sentenced to three years in prison and had to compensate the Ho Chi Minh City Police 9.5 million VND for the damage to two vehicles; defendant Bui Van Tien (born in 2001) was sentenced to one year in prison with a suspended sentence. Defendant Truong Ngoc Hien (born in 1997) was sentenced to two years in prison; and Nguyen Huynh Duc (born in 2000) was sentenced to one year in prison with a suspended sentence, with a probationary period of two years. All of the above defendants were guilty of disturbing public order.

The two defendants Tuan and Hien at the trial. Photo: KP

According to the indictment, on June 10, 2018, a large group of people gathered at Hoang Van Thu Park, Tan Binh District (HCMC) and marched illegally through many streets of Tan Binh and Phu Nhuan districts... When crossing Nguyen Van Troi Bridge, many participants in the marching group acted in an extreme manner, causing disorder and insecurity, using bricks, stones and sticks to smash and damage the property of law enforcement officers and people traveling on the road...

Defendant Tuan stated that he was sleeping at Hoang Van Thu park when a woman named H. gave him a piece of paper and asked him to march to Turtle Lake, District 3 and receive 400,000 VND, so Tuan agreed.

On the way, he saw a group of people throwing rocks and bricks at the Ho Chi Minh City Police Rapid Response Vehicle that was on duty, forcing the police to abandon two special motorcycles. Tuan used an iron pipe to smash the car's headlights, clock... and Tuan hit the bus window (where the driver was sitting). Next, Tuan threw rocks at the Land Cruiser window, but the window did not break... After committing the above act, Tuan went to the meeting place to receive the money but was discovered and arrested by the police.

On June 10, 2018, defendant Hien listened to others' invitations to march illegally and through text messages, Hien shared the message with 70 Facebook accounts to invite them to march together. At Hoang Van Thu Park, Hien and some people were given leaflets and rode motorbikes to march illegally. Seeing many people throwing bricks and stones at police cars... Hien also picked up bricks and stones and threw them at the bus, breaking the windshield and pushing it away...

The two defendants Duc and Tien listened to someone's invitation to march on motorbikes and received bricks and stones from others to throw at the bus... when they committed the act, they were both minors so they were released on bail.

Regarding the damage to the bus caused by the three defendants Hien, Duc, and Tien, because Saigon Passenger Transport Joint Stock Company did not request compensation, the panel of judges did not consider it.