Client Affairs
Hong Kong Banks Temporarily Shut Branches Amid Pro-Democracy Protests
Protests in Hong Kong against the Mainland’s attempts to control elections in the city-state have led to clashes with riot police, while a number of banks temporarily closed their branches.
Protests in Hong Kong against the Mainland’s attempts to control elections in the city-state have led to clashes with riot police, while a number of banks temporarily closed their branches.
One report by Bloomberg, quoting an email from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, said 36 bank branches had been shut. There had been clashes in the Causeway Bay and Mong Kok areas. Reports said large crowds were still near the government’s main offices in the Admiralty district. HSBC, Standard Chartered and BNP Paribas were among the banks affected, reports said.
The Bank of East Asia, Hang Seng Bank, China CITIC and Bank of China (Hong Kong) issued press statements that some of their branches had been temporarily closed.
China CITIC said branches in the Lippo Centre and CITIC Tower had been closed.
“Bank of East Asia Limited announces that some of its branches and SupremeGold Centres will be temporarily closed due to traffic disruption. BEA has activated its Business Continuity Plan to mitigate the impact of the event on the Bank's ability to serve customers in the affected areas,” BEA said in a statement earlier today.
“The Bank will resume service at the above mentioned branches and centres as soon as public safety and convenience can be ensured. An announcement will be posted on BEA's homepage once the re-opening times of the affected branches and centres have been determined,” it said.
Hang Seng Bank said outlets at the Causeway Bay Branch at 28 Yee Wo Street and Mongkok Prestige & Preferred Banking Centre at 677 Nathan Road were shut until further notice. Services at other locations “remain normal”.
Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (“BOCHK”) told customers that “due to the unusual situation in the Admiralty and Causeway Bay areas” it was closing services in the following branches “until further notice”: United Centre Branch: Shop 1021, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Hong Kong, and Causeway Bay Branch: 505 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
