Police in Hanoi on Monday announced that they would detain 22 protesters in a land-related riot on the outskirts of the city which killed three policemen and one rioter on January 9.

The city’s police will probe the 22 protesters for “murder” and “resisting on-duty enforcement officials” charges, local media reported.

Currently, the police are detaining four people for the aforementioned charges.

A number of local residents prevent the construction of a military airfield. Photo: VOV

Earlier on January 9, Major General To An Xo, chief of staff of the Ministry of Public Security, said that the local police launched criminal proceedings to investigate three charges including “murder”, “illegally storing and using weapons”, and “resisting on-duty enforcement officials”.

The riot originated on December 31, 2019 when a military unit began the construction of a wall surrounding Mieu Mon Military Airport adjacent to Dong Tam commune in My Duc district, which is about 40 km south Hanoi.

Three police officers were killed after being attacked by a group of people armed with grenades, petrol bombs, and knives in Dong Tam commune.

Officers also seized eight grenades, 38 Molotov cocktails, 20 liters of gasoline, 12 bayonet-fitted iron tubes, three boxes of flares, one teaser gun, one machete, and one hammer from the attackers.

The dead rioter was 84-year-old Le Dinh Kinh, To An Xo confirmed last weekend.

A report by the Hanoi Police said when his body was examined, Kinh was holding a grenade in one of his hands.

Some detainees told investigators Kinh was the ringleader and mastermind of the disturbance case in Dong Tam, the Tuoi Tre reported.

In a footage shown by the Vietnam Television (VTV) on January 13 evening, some detainees admitted to their wrongdoing.