Protester arrested in alleged assault of reporter in Westminster
A man who had been protesting a Vietnamese-language newspaper every day since late January was arrested this morning on suspicion of assaulting one of the newspaper's reporters.
Trong Doan, 59, is accused of punching a reporter from Nguoi Viet Daily News in the upper body in front of the newspaper's offices in Westminster. The only witnesses to the alleged assault were other protesters who have been uncooperative with police, said Sgt. Dan Schoonmaker. But the incident was captured on video by the reporter, Schoonmaker said.
The Orange County district attorney's office issued an arrest warrant for Doan as part of the Westminster Police Department's investigations into criminal activities surrounding the protests outside the newspaper. Police are continuing to investigate reported criminal activity, including a bomb threat and other threats against newspaper employees.
No other arrest warrants have been issued for the other protesters, Schoonmaker said. Doan is being held on $5,500 bail.
The protesters oppose Nguoi Viet's decision to print a photo of a foot spa painted with the colors of the South Vietnamese flag, which they say is offensive. The newspaper recently filed a lawsuit and restraining order against the protesters, claiming they have harassed and threatened employees and potential customers of the paper.
my-thuan.tran@latimes.com
