Violence erupted at the heart of Asia's most important financial centre yesterday as dozens of masked men launched an assault on pro-democracy protesters camped out on the streets of Hong Kong.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as the men, many of whom wore blue surgical masks, appeared at an Occupy Central protest site near the main business district just before 1.30pm.
Scuffles ensued as the men attempted to remove the metal barricades protesters are using to protect their position near Hong Kong's government headquarters in Admiralty.
Television images captured one member of the group brandishing a pocket knife and the website of Apple Daily, a local newspaper, claimed a number of the mob were carrying "sharp weapons".
Kris Cheng, a Hong Kong writer, said protesters formed a human chain to protect themselves from the offensive.
"Nobody knows who these masked men are but people think they are [members of] triads," he said.
Hong Kong police said up to 200 gang members from two of the city's big triads had infiltrated the protest camps, possibly to stir up violence.
Chu Wai-ho, 32, a protester who saw the confrontation, told the South China Morning Post: "I can't believe the anti-Occupy Central people got what looked like triad members to break up our protests.
"The police tried to keep them under control but they were outnumbered."
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