Story highlights Clashes between protesters and police mar Chinese New Year celebrations

Police fire warning shots, a police official confirms

There do not appear to be direct links between the disturbance and Hong Kong's Occupy protests in 2014

Hong Kong (CNN) A government crackdown on illegal street food vendors turned violent in Hong Kong in the early hours of Tuesday morning, as riot police clashed with protesters in the shopping district of Mong Kok.

The disorder erupted following government officials' attempts to evict street vendors who were selling fishballs and other local delicacies during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Traditionally, authorities have turned a blind eye to unlicensed food stalls during the festive period, but authorities took a stronger line against them this year, fencing off areas which had previously been used by the hawkers.

Dozens of protesters hurled bricks and bottles at police who responded with pepper spray and batons. Police also reportedly fired two warning shots during the clashes.

Responding to a reporter's question about the shots fired, Hong Kong's highest-ranking official, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying replied: "Everyone has seen what happened on TV... Police were lying on the ground and injured but people kept attacking."

Photos: Lunar New Year celebrations in the city turned chaotic as protesters and police clashed over a street market selling fishballs and other local street food. Protests sparked by government officials attempting to clear street food vendors spilled over into Tuesday morning local time. Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: A protester hurls a brick at riot police during clashes in Mong Kok early February 9. Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: Protesters build fires in the middle of the street in Mong Kok on February 9. Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: Objects are set on fire as bricks lay scattered about at an intersection in Mong Kok, a busy shopping district. Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: A masked protester, carrying a canister, throws a brick at police. Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: Protesters ready to hurl bricks at a line of police in Mong Kok in the morning of February 9. Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: A man is bloodied after a police charge. Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: The windshield of a taxi is smashed by bricks on February 9. Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: A view of riot police through the smashed windshield of a taxi, pictured on February 9. Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: Fires were lit in trash bins as protesters faced off with riot police. Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: A protester holds a smoking object before throwing it at riot police on February 9. Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: An injured protester is led away by an officer after police charged with batons. Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: Smoke rises as protesters set fires on a street in Mong Kok in the early hours of February 9. Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: Rioters carry bricks along a street in Mong Kok in the early morning of February 9. Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: Riot police move forward to the protesters on a street in Hong Kong's Mong Kok district, Tuesday, February 9, 2016. Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: Riot police advance on protesters in a street in Mong Kok on February 9. Hide Caption 16 of 16