Olympic Torch Ho Chi Minh City

Guide Note

The Olympic Torch Relay is expected to continue to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam on April 29, 2008. Due to security concerns all plans for the relay in Vietnam were rescinded and are expected to remain secret and flexible until directly before the event.

On April 25, 2008 a United States citizen of Vietnamese descent was deported from the country after police discovered t-shirts with anti-Olympic slogans in his luggage. Police reported that, under questioning, the man admited to plans to seize the torch during the April 29 relay events. This comes after the April 23rd arrest of pro-democracy advocate Nguyen Van Hai, who uses the pseudonym Dieu Cay, after coverage of anti-Olympic protests were discovered on his blog. Police reported that Nguyen Wan Hai was arrested on charges of tax evasion.

Fast Facts

1. Event scheduled for April 29, 2008
2. Plans for the event were released in March
3. All plans rescinded after Protests sparked security concerns
4. One Vietnamese citizen has been arrested, many believe for the coverage of Protests on his blog
5. A United States citizen was deported after police discovered anti-Olympic t-shirts in his luggage