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Long T Bui
Long T Bui

Opinion | Why the flag of South Vietnam flew at US Capitol siege

  • Amid the chaos on January 6, yellow-and-red striped flags of the former South Vietnam stood out
  • The protesters flying those flags were likely Vietnamese-American supporters of Trump, who favour his anti-communist and anti-China stance

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The South Vietnam flag is seen outside the US Capitol building on January 6. Photo: Getty Images
Long T Bui
The violent group that laid siege to the US Capitol on January 6 carried symbols expressing the purpose of their insurrectionist campaign to derail Joe Biden’s electoral certification.
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Alongside US flags, anti-Semitic banners and Confederate battle flags flew the yellow-and-red striped flag of the former South Vietnam.

This confounded many onlookers. One Reddit user wondered why the mostly white “anarchist mob” had “co-opted” South Vietnamese iconography.

In fact, the protesters flying the South Vietnamese flag were more likely Vietnamese-American supporters of US President Donald Trump.

Election surveys find that Vietnamese-Americans were the only Asian-American group in which a majority voted for Trump last year. They are attracted to Trump’s hard-line stance against China, anti-communist rhetoric and self-avowed commitment to protecting America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, according to journalists and researchers.

The South Vietnamese flag recalls Vietnam’s own “failed” democracy – and the people’s struggle to save their nation.

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South Vietnam flags seen in a crowd of supporters of US President Donald Trump on January 6. Photo: AFP
South Vietnam flags seen in a crowd of supporters of US President Donald Trump on January 6. Photo: AFP

A NATIONALIST FLAG

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