HONG KONG, July 30 — Barring pro-democracy figures from standing for election shows a "total disregard” for Hong Kongers, activist Joshua Wong said today as he confirmed he was among those disqualified by authorities.

"Beijing shows a total disregard for the will of the Hongkongers, tramples upon the city’s... autonomy and attempts to keep HK’s legislature under its firm grip,” Wong wrote in a tweet.

He described the move as "the biggest-ever crackdown” on the city’s pro-democracy movement, saying authorities had disqualified "nearly all pro-democracy runners, from young progressive groups to traditional moderate parties”. — AFP