Hong Kong: Pro-democracy protesters remained in deadlock with the Hong Kong government Sunday evening, after student organisers leading the demonstrations said they would refuse to abandon their occupation of the city until their demands were met.

This was despite the territory's leader, Leung Chun-ying warning police would "take all actions necessary" to clear blockades of government headquarters where tens of thousands of protesters have gathered nightly.

A protester sleeps in front of barricades in Mong Kok on Sunday morning. Credit:AP

"We are staying tomorrow," the leader of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Alex Chow, told reporters, referring to the government's ultimatum that they clear out by Monday morning. He said they would only return to the negotiating table if the government agreed to investigate accusations that a violent attack on a protest site on Friday had been orchestrated.

The government said on Sunday that it was ready to engage in talks on constitutional reform with student organisations, on the proviso that they removed blockades that have crippled main roads around government headquarters.