Banning Joshua Wong from Hong Kong district council elections shows he is thorn in Beijing’s side who must be isolated despite risk of global backlash, analysts say

With the latest election ban, Beijing has shown Joshua Wong Chi-fung – the poster boy of Hong Kong’s democracy movement – is a thorn in its side who must be isolated from other activists despite an inevitable international backlash, analysts said on Tuesday.

Legal scholars also said Wong’s disqualification showed returning officers’ power to bar candidates was broad and appeared to be unchecked, given that the activist had made it clear he and his party Demosisto did not support Hong Kong independence.

Wong was the only candidate disqualified from the district council elections, to be held on November 24, on the basis of his political stance.

Since the Legislative Council poll of September 2016, 10 pro-democracy candidates have been barred from running in elections over their stance on independence or calls for self-determination.

Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, a pro-democracy lawmaker previously barred from running in a village representative election due to his advocacy of self-determination, was last week given the green light to run in the district polls.