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Joe Biden says it is "totally unacceptable" police showed more leniency in the Capitol riot than at anti-racism protests.
South Vietnam flags were seen during the unrest Image caption: South Vietnam flags were seen during the unrest

On Wednesday, as protesters gathered outside before swarming the Capitol building, the yellow flags of the old South Vietnam regime could be seen.

In fact, the yellow flags of the former South Vietnam are a common sight at pro-Trump rallies across the United States.

Vietnamese Americans, especially those of the older generation who fled Vietnam after Saigon fell in 1975, are known for their support for the Republican party and Donald Trump.

A pre-election survey by the group Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote found that Vietnamese Americans are the only major East Asian ethnic community that favoured Trump over Biden . Trump’s anti-China and anti-communist rhetoric resonated greatly with the former refugees who risked their lives to escape communism.

But the support for President Trump has also become an increasingly divisive issue amongst the Vietnamese American community.

Hours after the Capitol riot, there are still calls on pro-Trump internet forums like the "ABC Trump" Facebook page for Vietnamese Americans to “take to the streets in support of President Trump” as “the battle continues”.

But there have also been condemnations.

“This is embarrassing,” one young Vietnamese American wrote on Twitter, adding: “They’ve brought shame to the flag”.