- A noodle vendor in Vietnam was handed down a five-year prison sentence for a viral video.
- The vendor, Bui Tuan Lam, went viral in 2021 for a video spoof titled "Green Onion Bae."
A noodle shop owner in Vietnam was handed a harsh prison sentence on Thursday for making a video impersonating Salt Bae after a high-flying official enjoyed a golden steak at the chef's London restaurant years ago.
$4 Bui Tuan Lam went viral in November 2021 after uploading a video $4posting the clip days after a Vietnamese official appeared to be eating a gold-covered steak at Salt Bae's London restaurant. He was accused of mocking the official for eating at the restaurant.
On Thursday, Lam was sentenced to 5½ years in jail for "making, storing, distributing, or disseminating information, documents, and items against the state," in a crackdown by the government carried out under the guise of anti-propaganda measures, per CNN.
The video appears to show Lam impersonating Salt Bae, whose name is Nusret Gökçe — not specifically the official pictured dining in London. Lam was arrested in September 2022, $4 and had previously denied mocking the official.
Lam's trial lasted one day. He was also accused of posting dozens of videos and pictures on social media to "distort and smear the state," according to CNN.
State officials also alleged that he took part in anti-China and environmental justice protests.