In 1962 a major protest erupted in the Saigon Native Girls School. A Vietnamese girl sitting in one of the front seats was asked to move to the back of the class and allow a local French student to occupy the front bench. When the girl refused, she was expelled by the Principal, also a colon. When the angry students protested they too were expelled, leading to a further spread of open protests. Seeing the situation getting out of control, the government forced the school to take the students back.