Pro-Democracy Activists in Hong Kong To Keep Fighting On

But authorities have begun scrubbing ballot lists of candidates deemed to hold unacceptable political views.

There are doubts over whether the election will even go ahead.

Multiple local media outlets have reported that Hong Kong's government plans to postpone the vote, citing a recent surge in coronavirus cases.

"That would be the complete collapse of our constitutional system," a coalition of democracy parties warned in a statement as they called on authorities to ensure elections go ahead with social-distancing measures in place.

Around half of Hong Kong's 3,100 Covid-19 cases have been detected in the past month and authorities fear hospitals are on the verge of being overwhelmed.

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According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, at least 68 elections worldwide have been postponed because of the virus, while 49 went ahead.

In their statement, the pro-democracy coalition accused their opponents of using the pandemic to avoid a drubbing at the polls.

A law to end unrest

Hong Kong is going through its most politically turbulent period since its return to Chinese rule, and last year seven straight months of pro-democracy protests swept the city.

The pandemic and mass arrests have helped throttle the movement, but anger towards Beijing still seethes.

In response, China imposed its security law on June 30, bypassing the legislature and keeping the contents of the law secret until it was enacted.

Beijing said the law would restore stability and not impact political freedoms.

It targets four types of crime: subversion, secession, terrorism, and colluding with foreign forces — with up to life in prison.

But the broadly worded law instantly outlawed certain political views such as promoting independence or greater autonomy for Hong Kong.