For Ly Tong, Vietnam War Still Rages

By: Andrew Lam, New America Media

Ly Tong, arguably the most famous, if not the most colorful, of all Vietnamese-American anti-communist activists, was arrested again in San Jose. The man, who many in the Vietnamese-American community call “Hero Ly Tong,” reportedly dressed up as a woman and bought a ticket to a Vietnamese concert. He made his way to the stage and pepper-sprayed the famous Vietnamese pop singer Hung Vinh Dam, who is visiting from Vietnam. The reason: Dam is accused of being a communist and spreading propaganda in the United States, even though the singer only sings love songs.

Dam was heard crying out, but he was not the only victim. My Tam, who was singing a duet with Dam, was also sprayed and so were several fans sitting in the front row. The scene was captured in a YouTube video.

“It’s not the first time Ly Tong made news with a spray can and women’s wear,” noted the Vietnamese American blog Bolsavik.com. “Last year, he spray painted an [sic] artwork and glued lingerie panties to it.” The work of art was deemed “pro-communist art” by Tong and his faction.

Dam, one of Vietnam's most famous singers, has gone to Los Angeles to continue his tour and told the Vietnamese newspaper Nguoi Viet Daily that he was not deterred by the act.

Tong, who was a pilot in the South Vietnamese army, was known in the 1990s for his arrest after flying a plane over Ho Chi Minh City and throwing down anti-communist leaflets. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but was released in 1998.

In court on Friday, Ly Tong‘s bail was reduced from $100,000 to $75,000. Tong’s supporters plan to post bail, and he is expected to get out in time to attend this weekend’s demonstrations against the same singer in Anaheim.