Businesses, Shops Urge Strike Over Fugitive Law

A growing number of businesses and shops have announced that they will go on strike on Wednesday, the day when lawmakers start debating the government’s controversial extradition bill.

As of Monday afternoon, more than fifty companies have made online announcements about their plans. By evening the number had risen to

They include retail outlets, bookshops, cafes and restaurants, a law firm, a Chinese medicine clinic, and companies in sectors including engineering and information technology.

A company managing an app for van hiring services, CALL4VAN, also made an appeal on its social media account for other companies and workers to join the strike.

The founder of the satirical online magazine, 100Most, known by his pen name Lam Yat-hei, wrote on his Facebook page that perhaps the action will not yield any results, but that he “hopes Hong Kong will get better sooner”.

The pan-democratic camp said it is encouraged by the planned shut downs, but convenor Claudia Mo said the camp won't be calling for a general strike as such.

Labour Party's Fernando Cheung said he has discussed with the Hong Kong Social Workers' General Union and social welfare sector lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun's office over the possibility of mobilising social workers to surround Legco on Wednesday, as well as organising more strikes later on.

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