Lam said in a statement that her government would respect the election result. "There are various analyses and interpretations in the community in relation to the results, and quite a few are of the view that the results reflect people's dissatisfaction with the current situation and the deep-seated problems in society," she said. Residents celebrate as pro-Beijing candidate Junius Ho loses in the district council elections. Credit:Getty "The HKSAR Government will listen to the opinions of members of the public humbly and seriously reflect." Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Tokyo: "No matter what happens, Hong Kong is a part of China."

Jimmy Sham, the organiser of June's million-strong peaceful marches, who was later attacked by thugs and hospitalised, won the seat of Lek Yuen in Shatin. Sham is still walking with crutches, the wounds to his head still visible, after being beaten with hammers by a group of men in a laneway. "This is a de facto referendum," he said of the election win, in an area that has seen frequent clashes between riot police and protesters. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Other victims of intimidation also won backing from voters on Sunday. Democrat Andrew Chiu who had his ear bitten off was re-elected in Tai Kook Shing West.

Pro-democracy candidate Jocelyn Chau, 23, who was not only hospitalised after being punched in the head, but also arrested on the campaign trail, won North Point's City Garden. A big night for democracy in Hong Kong. Supporters of pro-democracy candidate Angus Wong celebrate after he won in district council elections. Credit:AP The "airport uncle" Richard Chan, who tried to calm police during August's airport occupation, but was pepper sprayed in the face by riot police this month and arrested while campaigning, won his seat in Tai Po. Controversial New Territories politician Junius Ho, who was photographed shaking hands with men in white shirts on July 21, the night commuters at Yuen Long were attacked by white shirted men alleged to be triad members, lost his bid for a seat in Tuen Mun. Ho had been accompanied by a group of men in dark glasses throughout the polling day. He announced his defeat on Facebook and later said it was "strange".

Loading Democratic candidate Lo Chun-yu, who defeated him with a margin of 1200 votes, said: "Carrie Lam is not accepted by most people." The Yuen Long incident has become a major grievance in Hong Kong, and multiple council seats there were taken by democracy activists, including Tommy Cheung Sau-yin, a former student leader who was among nine Umbrella movement activists convicted for public nuisance earlier this year. Another former student leader Lester Shum, a key figure in the 2014 Occupy movement, won in Hoi Bun in Tsuen Wan. Only Joshua Wong, Hong Kong's best known student activist and co-founder of Demosisto, was barred from running as a candidate on the basis of his political beliefs. Separatism is banned under Hong Kong law.

But Wong's last-minute substitute, Kelvin Lam, won the seat of South Horizons West. Wong wrote on Twitter: "I’m extremely delighted to announce that, despite my disqualification by Beijing, my backup candidate Kelvin Lam has won in South Horizons West with 57 per cent of the vote."" The incumbent, Judy Chan, is a protégé of Regina Ip who supports police violence and calls protesters “cockroaches”." The biggest pro-Beijing party DAB won only 21 seats after fielding 181 candidates, although its leader Starry Lee had held on in Kowloon City. She offered to resign and the party's candidates bowed in apology at a press conference. The democratic camp now likely controls up to 10 per cent of the vote for the next chief executive, which is decided by an electoral committee which includes a block of district council votes.

Loading Pro Beijing trade union group Federation of Trade Unions won only five seats out of 62 contested. The Democratic Party won an unprecedented 91 seats and lost 8, and called on newly elected candidates to gather at the Polytechnic University in the afternoon, where a police siege continued and a small number of protesters remained inside in poor condition. Democratic party chairman Wu Chi-wai said the party had doubled its seats because of "the protesters, all the people being hurt, being arrested, deeply participating in the movement". Chinese state media had carried prominent coverage of the election and huge voter turnout - until the results started to come in. The Global Times quickly blamed "foreign interference" for the result.