More than 1000 people have rallied in the rain at a park in Hong Kong's financial district, chanting slogans for democracy as they huddled under a sea of umbrellas.
The crowd, a mix of young and elderly people, wore black and turquoise surgical masks to hide their identities as they listened to organisers speaking on a makeshift stage on Sunday.
"There may be fewer people. We all know that no matter how many people come out or how many times, the government ignores you," said a 30-year-old woman in black clothing surnamed Wong, who works in the legal sector.
"Hong Kongers will never stop. We see unfairness, injustice. It contradicts our fundamental beliefs," she said.
Protesters gather on a pedestrian bridge during a protest at Sheung Shui in Hong Kong. Source: EPA
Hong Kong has been convulsed by more than six months of protests, triggered by a now-withdrawn bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, where courts are controlled by the Communist Party.
The demonstrations have since evolved into a broader pro-democracy movement and have again became more confrontational over recent days with police clashing with protesters at several shopping malls and busy tourist areas.
On Saturday, riot police arrested about a dozen protesters and used pepper spray to break up a gathering aimed at disrupting retail business near the border with mainland China.
More protests are planned in the next few days, including a countdown to New Year's Day and a march on January 1 that could attract a big crowd.
Plainclothes police officers (with batons) clash with pro-democracy protesters during a rally inside a shopping mall in Sheung Shui. Source: AFP
Protesters are angry about what they see as increased meddling by Beijing in freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
China denies interfering, saying it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula put in place at that time, and blames foreign forces for fomenting unrest.
