A court in Hong Kong ruled Tuesday that two newly-elected, pro-independence lawmakers cannot take office after they insulted China during their swearing-in ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n The High Court ruled the two, Sixtus Leung, 30, and Yau Wai-ching, 25, of the Youngspiration party, broke a section of the Hong Kong constitution covering oaths taken by officials, the Associated Press reported.<\/span><\/p>\n The judge, Thomas Au Hing-cheung, said their actions meant they had declined to take their oaths and must be disqualified, the South China Morning Post reported.<\/span><\/p>\n It comes after the Beijing-based National People\u2019s Congress Standing Committee, China’s top legislative panel, took the unprecedented step last week of barring the two from taking office.<\/span><\/p>\n That move shows how the communist government wants to maintain control over the semi-autonomous city. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets over the case.<\/span><\/p>\n Leung and Yau were elected to Hong Kong’s Legislative Council in September, but when they took their oaths last month, they used a derogatory pronunciation of China and made disparaging gestures including displaying a flag reading \u201cHong Kong is not China.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Leung and Yau represent a powerful push for freedom driven by Hong Kong’s youth. Many of the pro-independence candidates took part in the Umbrella Revolution of 2014, when young protesters took to the streets to express anger over efforts by Beijing to pre-screen candidates for office in Hong Kong.<\/span><\/p>\n Source:\u00a0http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/world\/2016\/11\/15\/hong-kong-court-rules-lawmakers-cannot-take-office\/93868468\/<\/span><\/p>\n