Finance Workers Join 'flash-mob' To Demand Inquiry

Hundreds of workers from Hong Kong's financial industry – a group usually considered apolitical – gathered in Central on Thursday night for a "flash mob" protest to demand an independent inquiry into the root cause of recent social unrest sparked by the extradition bill.

A crowd occupied the whole of Chater Garden and at one stage spilled into the street. Several hundred people opened umbrellas and turned on flashlights on their phones.

They chanted "Hongkongers keep going", "shame on you corrupt cops" and "go on strike on August 5". Many pledged to join industrial action on Monday, along with civil servants, MTR train captains and others who have pledged to withdraw their labour.

One man, who works for a mainland bank, said he isn't too worried about being punished as his career is not as important as Hong Kong. A woman who works for Standard Chartered said her boss had given staff the freedom to do what they wanted.

According to organisers on the messaging app Telegram, workers from around 80 banks joined the gathering and more than 700 workers posted photos of their staff cards to declare they would also join a city-wide strike on Monday.

Participants said they were angered by alleged cooperation between police and gangsters last month, when a gang of white-clad suspected triad members armed with poles attacked anti-government protesters and bystanders in Yuen Long. (RTHK/AFP)