Hong Kong police fired tear gas and rubber bullets on Saturday to disperse huge crowds holding a banned rally, snarling the city in its eight consecutive weekend of protests that show little signs of abating.

Tens of thousands defied authorities and flooded main roads in Yuen Long, a small town close to the border to mainland China, to protest against a white-clad mob that viciously beat up pro-democracy demonstrators and bystanders with iron bars and bamboo sticks last weekend.

The march began peacefully but quickly descended into chaos after crowds swarmed a police van. Demonstrators swore at officers and spray painted expletives on the side, while another group broke down metal barriers even as rows of riot police assembled.

The tense standoff escalated in a matter of minutes when riot police shot dozens of tear gas rounds, stinging the Telegraph, and sending protesters into running battles with officers in a scene now all too familiar in the financial hub.

For hours in the afternoon and as the sky turned dark, protesters with hard hats, elbow protectors, face masks, and hiking sticks unfurled umbrellas to shield against the tear gas, scattering as more canisters were flung into the air. Some taunted the police, throwing stones and bricks at them.