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A ward official maintains that the move is merely to “understand residents’ thoughts and wishes,” despite staunch local opposition to the Red River Landscape Boulevard Project.

The Latest: On July 14, the Culture and Social Affairs Division of Hồng Hà Ward in Hà Nội, one of 16 wards covered by the Red River Landscape Boulevard Project, issued Document No. 181/VHXH.

The document asks ward police and neighborhood group leaders to “review and tally” banners and slogans related to the Red River Project.

The Details: The ward instructed officials to count two types of banners:

Those hung at residents’ homes

Those placed in public areas

Statistics form requested by the Culture and Social Affairs Division of Hồng Hà Ward.

The division asked that the tally be organized by neighborhood groups and that it include notes on the content of the banners and slogans.

This count must be confirmed by ward police or neighborhood group leaders and completed before July 16.

Contacting the Ward: On the morning of July 15, Luật Khoa contacted Phạm Thị Nết, deputy head of the Culture and Social Affairs Division of Hồng Hà Ward and the official who signed the document, to verify the information.

Nết stated: “Yesterday, we also met with some journalists who came to check some banners and slogans. I issued a document, first of all, to review and compile statistics. After that, we also reported to the ward in the spirit of understanding our citizens’ thoughts and wishes. There was no instruction to ban, arrest, or require citizens to take anything down.”

When asked about residents hanging banners, Nết said: “Yes, residents have hung banners to express their thoughts and wishes. My purpose was only to have officials coordinate and compile statistics so there can be solutions, with residents and the government working together to carry out the shared goals of the Party and the authorities.”

Nết did not answer Luật Khoa’s questions regarding what possible steps the ward might take after completing the tally.

Online Reactions: Online reactions to the directive have been highly skeptical.

Sharing the document in a group related to the Red River Project, user named T.D. commented, "Counting banners—are they planning to remove the banners forcibly so the cheerleading press can report 100% consensus?”

Under the post, several accounts commented: “Maybe people should switch to murals so they don’t have to stay up guarding them,” and “Those in Hồng Hà should hang red banners everywhere.”

About Hồng Hà Ward: Hồng Hà Ward is one of 16 areas included in the planning zone for the Red River Landscape Boulevard Axis Project.

Since Hà Nội approved the project’s investment policy in early May 2026, residents of Hồng Hà have been among its strongest opponents.

In early May 2026, residents submitted a collective petition asking Hà Nội not to carry out “blanket clearance” and to “clarify signs of irregularities in financial management and land use, and propose preserving Hồng Hà Ward’s existing residential area.”

The residents later continued hanging banners and slogans calling for authorities to “preserve the existing residential area.” Images of the banners were widely shared on social media.

In early June 2026, residents of Hồng Hà wore matching shirts and marched to pray for peace in protest of the Red River Project.

Their red shirts carried slogans including “harmonious development must preserve residential communities,” “petition to preserve the existing residential area,” and “planning is the future, but it must not erase history.”

On June 18, after two civil defense officers removed residents’ banners, hundreds of Tứ Liên residents in Hồng Hà Ward gathered outside the ward People’s Committee headquarters to protest and demand that the incident be “clarified.”

Why It Matters: Earlier on July 7, the Department of Culture and Sports of Hà Nội issued a broader directive: Directive No. 4398/SVHTT-TTBCXB .

This directive asks ward People’s Committees in the Red River Project area to step up grassroots propaganda activities to ensure project information is “smooth, properly oriented, and effective" and to “help build social consensus.”

The department instructed local agencies, including culture and social affairs divisions, to submit weekly propaganda reports using the attached template.

Template for tracking propaganda tasks for weekly reporting to the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports.

Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on July 15, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.

Hà Nội Police to Tally Protest Banners in Hồng Hà Ward Amid Red River Project Dispute

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