Banned election candidates lead HK independence rally
 

HONG KONG: Candidates banned from standing for election in Hong Kong because they are advocating a split from mainland China led the city’s first pro-independence rally on Friday as tension over the upcoming vote escalates.

Five pro-independence candidates who tried to register were rejected by election officials who said their stance went against Hong Kong’s mini-constitution.

Critics have slammed the move as censorship as fears grow over Beijing interference in the semi-auto**mous city in a range of areas, from politics to media and education.

A park near the government’s harbourfront headquarters filled with around 1,000 supporters of all ages through Friday evening.

Most sat calmly on the grass, many of them holding "Hong Kong Independence" placards and flags, as they listened to activists speak.

They applauded as banned candidate Edward Leung, the leader of new party Hong Kong Indige**us who is gaining a growing following, addressed the crowds. "Hong Kong’s sovereignty does **t belong to Chinese President Xi Jinping, does **t belong to the authorities, and does **t belong to the Hong Kong government. It belongs to the Hong Kong people," said Leung

Protester Satomi Cheng, a 49-year-old ****** manager, said many in the city were angry about China’s tightening grip.

"Day by day our human rights... are taken away by the Hong Kong government and the Chinese government," she told AFP.

Some ack**wledged that independence was a pipe dream in the face of a powerful Beijing, but said the city was running out of options.

"China has destroyed Hong Kong politics... we are supporting freedom and democracy," said student Clayton Chow, 19.

Andy Chan, 25, leader of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party and a disqualified candidate, said the rally was a chance to talk about the future.

Pro-independence activists including Chan have previously advocated violence -- he said they had **w decided that would **t work. "We don’t want people to get hurt or arrested, so we want to start with a public meeting and hopefully it will be a healthy path for us to get stronger," he told AFP.

The idea of independence is dismissed as illegal by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities, and was a taboo subject until recent months, when new parties emerged campaigning for a breakaway.

They evolved out of the "localist" movement of mainly young campaigners disappointed after mass rallies in 2014, k**wn as the Umbrella Movement, failed to win concessions from China on political reform.

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