A Hong Kong man has been seriously injured after being beaten by a large group of anti-government protesters.

The 49-year-old victim was said to be attacked by dozens of umbrella-wielding activists yesterday after thousands of people defied a police ban and marched through the streets to call for democracy.

Demonstrators hurled petrol bombs at government buildings and police when the peaceful rally turned violent.

A Hong Kong man (circled) was surrounded and attacked by anti-government protesters after the two sides had allegedly quarrelled. He was left lying in the middle of the road motionless

Protesters carry a British flag at a shopping district during a rally in Hong Kong on Sunday

Police spray blue dye at protesters using a water cannon truck to help identify participants

China's state newspaper People's Daily condemned the protesters, calling them rioters and warning 'those who play by fire will perish by it'.

The newspaper shared a video clip of one protester accidentally set on fire by a Molotov cocktail.

In a post on Twitter-like Weibo, the official outlet claimed the blazing bomb had been thrown by his fellow activists but gone the wrong way.

China's state newspaper People's Daily condemned the protesters, warning 'those who play by fire will perish by it'. It shared a video clip which apparently shows one activist being set on fire by accident after a petrol bomb thrown out by other protesters had gone the wrong direction

A protester prepares to throw a petrol bomb at the government on Sunday. Hong Kong officials have reiterated that violence is not the solution after the city's protests became more brutal

An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail during a demonstration near Central Government Complex. At least 28 people aged between 18 and 58 were injured yesterday

China blasts activist for seeking help from Donald Trump Joshua Wong, a young leader of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, last week urged US President Donald Trump to back the city's protests. The 22-year-old called on Trump to include a 'human rights clause' in any trade agreement with China. China today condemned Wong's political plea, claiming that he was not qualified to make 'irresponsible remarks' about issues regarding Sino-US relation. A spokesperson from the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised today: 'Joshua Wong is Chinese, but he goes around to beg foreign countries to meddle in China's internal affairs.' Advertisement

Thousands of people - black-clad masked protesters alongside families with children - peacefully marched two kilometers (1.2 miles) yesterday from the Causeway Bay shopping district to the central business district, making continuous calls for democratic reforms.

Police had turned down the march permit, but the demonstrators were undeterred, as they have been all summer.

Some protesters later burned Chinese flags and vandalised subway stations.

Hundreds of them targeted the government office complex, throwing bricks and Molotov cocktails through police barriers.

Police responded by firing volleys of tear gas and using water cannon trucks to spray pepper-laced water as well as blue liquid that helped them identify offenders.

Protesters retreated but re-grouped in cat-and-mouse battles lasting a few hours before calm returned.

A protesters displays on her phone a poster that uses the stars of the Chinese national flag to depict a Nazi Swastika symbol during a peaceful protest in Hong Kong on Monday

Pro-democracy protesters wave flags and chant slogans outside the UK embassy on Sunday

At least 28 people aged between 18 and 58 were injured during yesterday's confrontations, according to the hospital authority.

One of them was the 49-year-old man who was surrounded and beaten by a group of anti-government protesters.

The violent incident has been captured on a viral video which shows anti-government protesters hitting and kicking the lone man.

The man, dressed in blue, had allegedly quarrelled with the black-clad demonstrators before being mobbed and physically assaulted by his opponents.

The aggression lasted around 30 seconds before the protesters dispersed, leaving the victim lying in the middle of the road motionless.

The man sustained bleeding in his nose and mouth and was taken to Ruttonjee Hospital by paramedics, reported local news outlet HK01.com.

Doctors said he was seriously injured and his condition was critical at one point. He was transferred to Queen Mary Hospital, according to the report.

Thousands of protesters march toward the Hong Kong Central Government offices on Sunday

Protesters run past a fire during clashes with riot police in Hong Kong on Sunday

China has condemned Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong (pictured) for seeking help from US

Pro-Beijing supporters turned up at the North Point and Fortress Hill neighborhoods late Sunday, leading to brawls.

What do Hong Kong protesters want? Apart from the resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Hong Kong demonstrators have listed five demands and have continued to urge the government to respond to them. These five demands are: 1. A complete withdrawal of the extradition bill 2. A retraction from the government to its characterisation that the protesters were 'rioters' 3. Unconditional and immediate release of protesters who were arrested and charges against them dropped 4. Establishment of an independent inquiry to investigate police violence during clashes 5. Genuine universal suffrage Lam has promised to withdraw the bill, but is yet to agree to the rest. Advertisement

Police said today people had used iron hammers and other weapons to attack each other, leading to a number of injuries and forcing police to deploy tear gas.

Police also said 'radical protesters escalated their violent acts' by throwing petrol bombs at police officers and vowed to step up enforcement.

In one case, it said protesters hurled petrol bombs at two police officers, who were forced to withdraw pistols as a warning to disperse them.

The city's unrest has escalated after 100 days of street protests which were initially sparked by a controversial bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to China to stand trial.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has promised to withdraw the much-hated extradition bill, but pro-democracy activists are demanding a wider democratic reforms and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality against protesters.

As the crisis deepens, demonstrations are growing smaller but activists are becoming more violent.

In a statement late Sunday, the government condemned violence, saying it would only harm the community. The officials also said they were sincerely trying to solve problems.

Beijing has accused Britain, the United States and other Western countries of plotting the three-month-long unrest in an apparent attempt to separate Hong Kong from China.