The People’s Court of the central province of Bình Thuận yesterday sentenced two men to a total 28 years in prison for destroying property at a fire brigade office. — VNA/VNS Photo

Đặng Ngọc Tấn was sentenced to 17 years in jail, while Phạm Thanh will serve 11 years behind bars for destroying public property in the province’s Phan Rí Thành Commune.

According to the indictment, at about 9.30am on June 11 last year, many people gathered on National Highway 1A in Bắc Bình District’s Phan Rí Thành Commune, causing public disorder and leading to serious traffic congestion.

Police and local government used loudspeakers to ask participants to disperse but Tấn, Thanh and others didn’t comply.

They used sticks, bricks, stones and petrol bombs to attack police on the highway.

When police withdrew to the fire brigade office in Phan Rí Thành Commune, Tấn and Thanh continued throwing petrol bombs at police.

They burnt four cars of the police worth VNĐ2 billion (US$85,500), while Thanh destroyed two more cars parked nearby with a value of VNĐ2.5 billion (US$107,000).

The court said their actions had serious consequences for public security and social safety so strict punishments should be imposed to prevent similar crimes.  – VNS