Hundreds gathered outside the Brimbank City Council chambers on Sunday to demand tougher laws targeting violent offenders in the wake of the fatal assault of shopkeeper Van Viet Truong. The rally, held just metres from the site of the attack, featured chants and drum beats as participants called for stronger legal measures to enhance public safety.

Attendees, many from Sunshine’s Vietnamese community, wore white T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as "stronger laws" and carried banners reading "Hold murderers fully accountable" and "Adult crimes, adult times." Nearby, a smaller group remained outside Truong’s grocery store to pay their respects, observing a minute of silence in his honour.

One organizer, a Vietnamese-Australian resident of 17 years, urged authorities to implement stricter legislation, emphasizing the need for a safer environment. She warned that if the law remained unchanged, further protests would take place outside the state parliament.

Several local community members shared personal accounts reflecting concerns over public safety. Kevin, a Vietnamese-Australian, expressed his distress over Truong’s death, highlighting the impact on families. Another resident, John, called for increased police patrols in Sunshine, receiving strong support from the crowd.

Other testimonies detailed experiences of violence. A St Albans business owner recounted a break-in during which teenagers used drugs inside her premises. An international student related an armed robbery on a university campus two years ago, noting that the offenders involved had been out on bail at the time.

The issue of youth bail laws was raised in the context of these incidents. Carroll government minister Anthony Carbines, who previously held the police portfolio, responded on Sunday, emphasizing that such cases are matters for the courts. He acknowledged community frustration, stating, "It’s an absolute tragedy what has happened in the west, the people of the west are tired of safety being compromised."

The rally underscored growing public demands in western Melbourne for legislative reform and enhanced policing following a series of violent events culminating in the death of Van Viet Truong.