Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong has been barred from standing in upcoming local elections after the city was rocked by months of huge and frequently violent protests.

Authorities said Wong was disqualified because his ideologies support Hong Kong's independence from China - to which Mr Wong denied.

The news came as the city's leader Carrie Lam ruled out political solutions for the unrest until violence ends. Her comments are likely to anger demonstrators further.

Mr Wong, one of the most prominent figures in the otherwise leaderless movement, accused the government of 'political screening' after an election officer ruled invalid his nomination for the November poll.

The 23-year-old was sent to prison earlier this year over the democracy protests he helped lead in 2014. He immediately joined the historic anti-government protests rocking the city upon his release in June.

He is the secretary-general of the city's pro-democracy party Demosist?. 

Mr Wong was the only candidate barred from standing in an election for district councils, which tackle regional issues. The election is the first to be held since the current mass protests started.