This archive report was first published on 23 August 2019.
On August 23, 2019, Hong Kong witnessed a significant display of solidarity as over 1,000 people, including accountants, joined a march in the financial district, calling on the Hong Kong government to address the demands of the antigovernment protesters. The marchers, some of whom wore surgical masks to conceal their identities, were largely employees of the Big Four accounting firms, which have sought to distance themselves from the unrest.
Trade union representatives also held a news conference on the same day, demanding that Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong's flagship carrier, reinstate the head of a flight attendants' union who was fired without explanation earlier that week. The union claimed that the employee, Rebecca Sy, was terminated for expressing her personal opinions in support of the protests.
Rebecca Sy, the chairwoman of the Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Flight Attendants' Association, stated at the news conference that she had been fired after Cathay representatives showed her screenshots of her private Facebook posts and asked whether the account was hers. She acknowledged that she had urged her friends to attend recent protests at Hong Kong's airport and shared articles supporting the demonstrators.
Carol Ng, the chairwoman of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, stated that 11 people in Hong Kong's aviation industry had been fired since the Chinese aviation regulator issued its orders to Cathay this month. She emphasized that the pressure from the Chinese authorities would not silence the workers.
At the accountants' march, several people in surgical masks claimed to be employees of the Big Four accounting firms, stating that they were not willing to be interviewed due to fear of repercussions. The marchers wore black T-shirts, which have become a symbol of the summer's protests, and some came dressed in office attire.
Cherry Wong, a 49-year-old independent financial adviser, expressed her support for the Big Four accounting firms to stand firm on the side of the Hong Kong people on the issue. Kenneth Leung, a tax adviser and pro-democracy member of Hong Kong's legislature, warned that putting pressure on firms to speak out against the protests jeopardized the territory's reputation as a business-friendly place.
