A fundraiser established to support the family of Van Viet Truong, a shopkeeper who died after attempting to prevent a robbery, has received minimal donations despite significant public attention and protests.
Thousands gathered in Sunshine, west of Melbourne, to protest and demand tougher laws against violent offenders following Mr. Truong's death. He reportedly died last Wednesday after being allegedly assaulted by a group of youths aged between 12 and 15 while intervening in a robbery at a shop two doors down from his own.
On Tuesday morning, a GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at covering funeral costs and providing financial support to Mr. Truong's family had only garnered $880 from 16 donors, far short of its $35,000 target. This stands in contrast to other fundraisers for tragic events that have quickly amassed substantial sums.
A petition on change.org initiated after Mr. Truong's death was nearing 30,000 signatures. The petition highlights the alleged perpetrators' young age and criticizes the granting of bail to some of the accused, stating it sends a dangerous message about leniency for violent acts and calls for accountability.
The GoFundMe page described Mr. Truong as a "hero" who "did not deserve to lose his life doing the right thing" and urged the community to contribute "no matter the size" to honor his sacrifice and support his family.
Demonstrations were held outside Brimbank City Council, with chants of "no more" echoing, and a rally outside the Sunshine library on Sunday drew crowds demanding "safe communities" and "stronger laws." Banners calling for "Adult Crimes, Adult Times" were visible. A separate gathering outside Mr. Truong's grocery store observed a minute of silence in his memory.
Traders in the area have expressed feelings of abandonment by police in the face of persistent youth crime. One trader described the area as having a negative atmosphere and called for increased police presence and security. Observations on Wednesday revealed no police officers or marked vehicles present along the shopping street during several hours.
Phong Nguyen, president of the Australian Vietnamese Refugee National Council, described Mr. Truong as a "quiet hero" who sacrificed his life for others, and pledged community efforts to improve safety.
Speakers at Sunday's rally encouraged attendees to channel their anger about the incident and concerns about the state's bail laws into action at the upcoming state election in November.