Ironically, they were not protesting a communist rally or the coming of a Vietnamese dignitary. Instead, they were protesting a puppet show.
Protesters claim the show perpetuates an untrue image of what Vietnam is like today.
The organizers of the event see it as a form of artistic and cultural expression. And the Vietnamese students of UCLA are torn between realizing their culture and condemning an oppressive communist regime. The protesters say the Vietnam of today is one rife with human-rights violations and poverty, not the kind of country that routinely puts on puppet shows. The puppet show is from Hanoi, in the northern part of Vietnam. It deals with an idyllic country life and the lives of farmers.