Translated by Danlambao's reader - On the morning of 3/23/2014, a demonstration calling for the release of 3 activists Bui Thi Minh Hang, Nguyen Thi Thuy Quynh, and Nguyen Van Minh - who were illegally detained by the communist government - was held in Hanoi. As the demonstrations were about to get started, police quickly tried to extinguish the demonstrations and many were arrested and beaten violently.
At 10 am, a group of 50 persons - including Hoa Hao Buddhist followers and Hmong ethnic people - started to walk from Thai Ha Church toward the meeting point of Hoan Kiem Lake. However, as soon as they left the church a few hundred meters, the police (of all types) stopped them and started making trouble.
During the scuffle, the police beat and assaulted several people. At least three protesters - including Tran Thi Nga (from Ha Nam province) and Lý Văn Lềnh and Hầu Văn Thành (2 Hmong ethnic men) -- were arrested and taken to some unknown location.
Despite being stopped, a small group of protesters were still able to reach Hoan Kiem Lake to join Tran Bui Trung (son of Mrs. Bui Hang) in the demonstration calling for the release of his mother (Mrs. Bui Hang). Overwhelming police forces immediately surrounded and isolated the protesters at Hoan Kiem Lake.
Facebooker Le Thi Phuong Anh said each protester was being watch by 20 communist police. One undercover policeman even went inside a women's bathroom to record (with camcorder) and take picture of Lê Thị Phương Anh.
Ms. Lê Thị Phương Anh said: "People saw the face of the undercover policeman who went inside a women's bathroom to take picture of me while I was inside the public bathroom in Hoan Kiem Lake area. When I screamed, he (policeman) tried to confiscate my cell phone."
As of 5pm, no one knows the whereabouts of Ms.Tran Thi Nga and the two Hmong ethnic men. It is known that Ms.Tran Thi Nga was badly beaten when the police arrested her.
