Hundreds of people in Saigon rally to protest against Xi Jinping

  At 2 p.m. on November 04, 2015, about 200 people gathered at the area of Tran Hung Dao monument in District 1, Saigon to protest against the trip of the Chinese Communist President, Xi Jinping, to Vietnam.

Although police have blocked and abducted several activists the protest still took place as scheduled.

Initially, this was a meeting at the Le Hieu Dang club. The participants then turned it into a demonstration, marching through the streets in Saigon.

Surrounding the Tran Hung Dao monument, protesters held banners that read "Xi Jinping must return Paracels and Spratlys to Vietnam, Xi Jinping is an invader, Oppose the presence of Xi Jinping" then marched toward Nguyen Hue street, chanting slogans of protecting territorial sovereignty and condemning Chinese aggression.

A strong police force carried out a blockage and clashed with protesters.

Photo - Danlambao

Crackdown ahead of Xi Jinping’s trip

Around 3 p.m., the protest ended. Police arrested a protester, Dang Uyen Nghi, the newlywed wife of activist Hoang Dung. Immediately, many protesters flocked to the police station of Ben Nghe Ward, 74 Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1, to demand her release. Nghi was told to be detained at this police station briefly and was taken away to an unknown location.

In the same day, police also abducted bloggers Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh and Vo Truong Thien when they were leaving Nha Trang for Saigon to join the rally tomorrow, November 05, 2015, at the Chinese consulate.

In recent days, the communist authorities have increased repression against activists ahead of Xi’s trip.

However, two protests in Hanoi and Saigon have clearly demonstrated the wills of Vietnamese people in opposing the aggressor.

As scheduled, Xi will arrive at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi at noon on November 5, 2015 for a two-day trip.

Twenty one civil society organizations have issued a statement calling for mass protests at 9 a.m. on November 5, 2015 at the Chinese embassy in Hanoi, 46 Hoang Dieu Street, Ba Dinh District, and the Chinese consulate in Saigon, 175, Hai Ba Trung Street, District 3, to against Xi’s presence in Vietnam.

Photo Danlambao

CTV Danlambao and Như Ngọc