The prostests and violence in Hong Kong are increasingly affecting businesses. To protect their staff, several financial institutions have taken unconventional measures.
Financial institutions, alongside other major multinationals and conglomerates in Hong Kong, are releasing staff early noting the risk of violence, following an unprecedented mob incident last night allegedly involving gang members attacking civilians in a public train station.
The financial sector was not alone in issuing such warnings with most large companies urging staff to take precautions when returning home if they live in several of the specified districts, which were rumored to undergo near anarchy with gang members roaming main areas to terrorize civilians.
Central Business District Merely Spooked
«We advise employees residing in or near the aforementioned districts to return home at their discretion and to do so safely,» said one internal note at an unnamed financial institution. While the city's central business district was merely spooked, many back-office functions are physically based in the targeted areas.
Not only are civilians living in the district affected but with skyrocketing rent in the city, many banks have opted to house their back-office functions in some of the less urban districts which gang members are allegedly targeting. U.S. bank J.P. Morgan, for example, has a building named J.P. Morgan Tower in Sha Tin, one of the rumored targets for attacks.
Gang Violence Strikes the City
Hong Kong’s political tensions reached a new high last night when alleged gang members, dressed in white shirts as the symbolic opposition, suddenly broke into a public train station last night and wildly attacked protestors and civilians alike, in an allegedly planned act of terrorism. Media reports claimed police were late to assist, made no arrests and have since been questioned for collusion with triads.
