The trial for Nguyen Van Thien, 27, and Nguyen Long Vu, 24, on charges of disturbing public order, was postponed by the People's Court of Area 3 in Hanoi on the afternoon of 27/1.

The court decided to reschedule the hearing to the morning of 30/1 due to the absence of a key witness, ensuring the defendants' rights are protected.

Defendants Thien (left) and Vu in court. Photo: Danh Lam

According to the case file, the incident occurred around 2:30 PM on 17/9/2025, at a coffee shop within an urban area in Hanoi. Thien was smoking when Minh, a 29-year-old employee and the owner's son, reminded him to stop.

After Minh's third reminder, Thien allegedly raised his hand, signaling an instruction. Immediately, Vu stood up, walked to the cash register, and punched Minh, who was behind the bar, two times in the face, causing him to fall to the floor.

Thien then raised his hand once more, signaling, and shouted "stop, stop, stop." Vu ceased the assault and returned to his seat. The group subsequently left the premises.

Security cameras inside the coffee shop recorded the entire event. The shop owner later posted the footage on social media and reported the incident to the police. The video, depicting the actions of Thien and Vu, quickly went viral, drawing thousands of comments expressing public outrage.

On the morning of 19/9, Thien and his family visited the coffee shop to apologize. However, the owner, who is the victim's mother, refused to speak with them and asked them to leave the establishment.

During the investigation, Minh stated that the coffee shop served many customers in an enclosed space and had clear "no smoking" signs. He recalled repeatedly reminding Thien to stop smoking, but Thien ignored the warnings and continued. Minh chose not to pursue civil compensation but requested that both defendants be prosecuted according to the law.

Throughout the investigation and prosecution, defendant Vu admitted to his actions, while Thien, referred to as "the 'boss'", denied any wrongdoing.

Hai Thu