China bars Hong Kong's anti-govt candidates, activist calls it 'biggest crackdown'

In yet another blow for the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, China disqualified at least 12 anti-government candidates from standing in the upcoming legislative elections including Joshua Wong who had acquired the highest vote share in the primaries. Wong, who got more than 30,000 votes in the primary, lashed out on China for showing ‘total disregard’ to the will of Hong Kong residents by invalidating the candidates wanted by the majority. Calling it the ‘biggest-ever crackdowns’ on city’s election, former leader of the 2014 Umbrella Movement said that Beijing disqualified the pro-democracy candidates by citing their disagreement with the controversial national security law.

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After more than a year of unrest in Hong Kong, the anti-government protesters first took the blow of China’s national security law, that critics have said demeans city’s autonomy, and now the barring of candidates who tirelessly led a movement in the city. Often met with violence, the pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong found hope when over 610,000 citizens went out to vote for the primaries. 

According to Joshua Wong, the Chinese Communist Party has removed the anti-government runners in the elections from young progressive groups to traditional moderate parties. This according to one of the most prominent activists in the city, is Beijing’s attempt to dismantle the ‘last pillar’ of autonomy and keep the city’s administration under its control.  Joshua Wong, yet again pledged that the activists across the city ‘will not surrender’ and that the resistance among the citizens would grow more intense. 

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Joshua Wong called for global solidarity

Earlier this month,  the 23-year-old had said that the entire world must stand in solidarity with the former Britsih colony after China imposed the controversial national security law threatening the city’s autonomy. According to an international media agency, at his appearance in court, the 23-year-old pledged to continue the campaigning for democracy in the city while he along with other protesters are currently being prosecuted for involvement in civil unrest that prevailed in 2019 in Hong Kong. Wong said that this is the ‘time to stand with Hong Kong’ with a stern belief that the demonstrators ‘will never give up and surrender to Beijing’.

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