As protests against a $28 billion urban megaproject escalate, Hà Nội police have issued a public warning, labeling resident gatherings as “illegal” and threatening legal actions against dissenters.
The Latest: On June 30, Hà Nội police published a warning to residents regarding “acts of inciting and luring people into illegal mass gatherings related to the capital’s key projects.”
- The post was subsequently shared widely by state media.
The Details: In the publication, Hà Nội police stated that, during the implementation of key projects, the city government had taken various measures to “ensure the lawful rights and interests of residents in project areas.”
- These measures included handling petitions and requests, as well as creating support mechanisms to help stabilize people’s lives after land recovery.
However, the post claimed that “most residents agree with and comply with the policies and guidelines,” some individuals have “taken advantage of problems and petitions in site clearance work” to “distort” information and “incite” residents.
- These actions reportedly include hanging banners, gathering in large numbers, and filing petitions beyond the proper administrative level.
- Hà Nội police reported that many residents had gathered at state offices or project sites, which disrupted public order and security.
The post stressed that hanging banners or gathering in large numbers in public places in ways that “obstruct the operations of agencies and organizations” and disrupt public security could be handled under the law.
Furthermore, the agency stated that “subjects” often use social media to “spread unverified information” and “distort” the party’s guidelines and policies.
- In particular, Hà Nội police specifically noted cases of people “abusing the right to freedom of speech and the right to lodge complaints and denunciations” to “lure” residents into illegal mass gatherings, pressure authorities, complicate the situation, and affect the implementation of projects.
The police asserted that “all lawful and legitimate rights and interests of citizens are protected by the state,” including the right to lodge complaints and denunciations.
- The agency advised residents to trust the process and submit petitions or complaints through competent authorities when problems arise.
- The post also urged residents to “heighten their vigilance,” refrain from illegal mass gatherings, and avoid sharing unverified information.
Shortcomings: Hà Nội police have not specified the legal basis for determining what constitutes an “illegal” mass gathering, nor did the post identify any specific incident or key capital project that was affected.
- The public has not been informed of the basis Hà Nội police relied upon to claim that “most residents agree” with the policies of the party, the state, and Hà Nội.
- Previously, the Hà Nội Party Committee also asserted that most residents had “high consensus” on the Red River project, without providing a basis for this claim.
Luật Khoa contacted the Hà Nội police to verify the information but has not received a response.
Expert View: Speaking to Luật Khoa regarding the post of the Hà Nội police, Dr. Nguyễn Quang A of the Civil Society Forum stated that the tactic was a “classic technique used by all communist parties for more than 100 years.”
- “They always label anyone who holds a different opinion from theirs as being ‘instigated,’ ‘incited,’ and so on, even calling them ‘reactionary’ or ‘lawbreakers,’ while ignoring the people’s rights to freedom of speech and protest, which are solemnly enshrined in the Constitution,” Quang A said.
- He also stated that authorities could rely on “vague provisions in criminal law” to arrest people who express dissenting views. He asserted that such actions by the government are unconstitutional and violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Việt Nam has been party to since 1982, effectively shrinking the public’s space for expression.
- He added, “people must find every way to speak out and say that when they gather and express their opinions, they are not doing anything illegal, and that those who obstruct them are the ones violating the Constitution and international law.”
According to Dr. Nguyễn Quang A, the advice from Hà Nội police that people should submit petitions and complaints through competent authorities is “also a classic tactic”: “Then does anyone answer them, or are their petitions buried in a drawer?”
- He stressed that people have the right to, and should, express their opinions in writing. If they receive no response, they can go directly to question officials.
- However, he also affirmed that people can use all forms to speak out, not just written submissions, and the government cannot obstruct them, as obstruction is unconstitutional and unlawful.
The Background: On the morning of May 11, 2026, the Hà Nội People’s Council approved the investment policy for the Red River Landscape Boulevard Project, with 100 percent of attending delegates voting in favor. It is one of Hà Nội’s strategic megaprojects, intended to promote the redesign of urban space along the Red River and improve the quality of the capital’s central urban area.
- The project runs through 16 communes and wards, covers around 11,418 hectares of land, and has a preliminary total investment of around 736.963 trillion đồng, or about $28 billion.
- The project is expected to affect around 200,000 residents.
- Compared with an earlier investment policy, the new policy removed three wards from the project scope—Vĩnh Tuy, Hoàng Mai, and Vĩnh Hưng—and reduced total investment by around 118 trillion đồng, or about $4.49 billion.
Why It Matters: In recent months, residents in areas covered by the Red River Landscape Boulevard Project have organized various activities to oppose the project’s investment policies.
- Affected residents have continuously submitted petitions, open letters, appeals, urgent pleas, and social media posts.
- They have hung banners and slogans, mainly calling for authorities not to carry out wholesale clearance, to prioritize the preservation of existing villages and residential communities, and to provide adequate compensation.
- Residents have also noted that state agencies received some of their petitions; however, they also reported that civil defense forces took down their banners.
Additionally, Red River residents have organized activities where they wear matching shirts printed with slogans and take to the streets to express their views.
- These activities included residents walking along Thanh Niên Street, a central road in Hà Nội.
- Residents in localities, such as Hồng Hà Ward and Hải Bối Commune, also wore matching shirts to local temples and communal houses to pray to deities for the preservation of their villages.
On June 25, Bồ Đề Ward in Hà Nội published a post advising residents to remain “clear-headed” and avoid the exploitation of the Red River project to “incite” opposition to the party and the state.
Recently, a nonprofit website called “Red River Communities” emerged, aiming to equip residents with knowledge and guidance on how to submit petitions.
- The website is currently inaccessible from Việt Nam.
Lê Sáng wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on July 3, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
