Anti-government demonstrations got heated in Hong Kong on Sunday, as rowdy protesters attacked government buildings with petrol bombs, while police responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Although there were fewer people on the streets compared to previous weekends, the violence seemed to be on the rise in China’s semi-autonomous region. The situation became particularly tense outside the Chinese People's Liberation Army base in the city’s Admiralty district. Protesters blocked a nearby road and attacked law enforcement with various projectiles

They were also seen pelting the building and police with Molotov cocktails.

The police responded with water cannons spraying the demonstrators with bright blue-colored fluid. Such coloration facilitates the search to arrest them after they have dispersed.

The fires were promptly put out, while the crowd was targeted with volleys of tear gas canisters.

One protester managed to land a Molotov cocktail on one of the water cannons and it caught fire, footage shows. The machine, however, turned out to be equipped with roof sprinklers and promptly extinguished itself.

Earlier, a peaceful gathering was held outside the British consulate. The protesters were urging the UK to come and protect its former colony, chanting “Rule, Britannia!” and “We are British and we will never surrender!”

The protests have been rocking Hong Kong since March, when they were triggered by a now-scrapped extradition bill. The legislation would have allowed surrendering suspects to mainland China and was decried by protesters as an attempt to stomp on the city’s judiciary and persecute dissidents.

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While the legislation was scrapped, protests have not ended with the activists now demanding other things, such as the release of those arrested and an investigation into alleged cases of police brutality.

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