
Two police officers were beaten bloody by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong today as violence erupted at a rally calling for greater democratic freedoms in the heart of the city.

Trouble flared when police ordered the authorised gathering to disperse after officers conducting stop and searches on nearby streets had water bottles and paint thrown at them by angry crowds.

A group of plainclothes officers who were speaking with organisers were then set upon by masked protesters, who beat them with umbrellas and sticks, a witness on the scene said.

Two officers were seen with bloody head wounds as colleagues shielded them from further attacks.

A group of 'rioters' attacked the officers with wooden sticks, police said in a statement, adding that some also lobbed water bottles and other objects at law enforcement.

Others threw paint bombs at buildings in the central business district, according to police.

'Such appalling acts are not to be condoned,' the force said in a statement on Facebook.

Riot police swept into the area and fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Police detaining an injured man at Chater Garden in Hong Kong after police ordered the authorised gathering to disperse after officers conducting stop and searches on nearby streets had water bottles and paint thrown at them by angry crowds

A man believed to be a plainclothes police is surrounded by protesters calling for electoral reforms today. Two officers were attacked by protesters when police tried to disperse a protest

A man believed to be a plainclothes police officer surrounded by protesters. Water bottles and paint was thrown over police when they carried out stop and searches in Hong Kong today

Riot police hit protesters with batons as demonstrators armed with umbrellas and sticks clashed with officers in Hong Kong

Riot police detained protesters. Earlier two officers were seen with bloody head wounds as colleagues shielded them from further attacks

Police use tear gas on protesters. Two officers were seen with bloody head wounds as colleagues shielded them from further attacks

Swat police corner protesters calling for electoral reforms and a boycott of the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong

Carton boxes were set on fire during a pro-democracy rally against Communism and Chinese rule in Hong Kong today

Riot police cleared a makeshift barricade during the pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong today that entered its eighth month of mass protests

Brief cat and mouse clashes ensued with police making multiple arrests, including one protester who had blood streaming from the back of his head.

Hong Kong's protests have raged for seven months after being sparked by a now-abandoned proposal to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland, where the opaque legal system answers to the Communist Party.

Police fired tear gas at a public park that was overflowing with thousands of protesters calling for electoral reforms and a boycott of the Chinese Communist Party.

They soon morphed into a wider movement calling for greater freedoms in what is the most concerted challenge to Beijing's rule since the former British colony's 1997 handover.

At today's rally, thousands gathered in the heart of the Central commercial district, chanting slogans such as 'Stand with Hong Kong, fight for freedom'.

Sporting their movement's trademark black clothing and face masks, rally participants packed into Chater Garden, not far from the Chinese territory's Legislative Council building. They held up signs that read 'Free Hong Kong' and waved American and British flags.

'We want real universal suffrage,' the protesters chanted. 'Disband the police force, free Hong Kong!'

Some waved American, British and Hong Kong independence flags. There were many families and children present with a peaceful atmosphere until police ordered the crowds to leave.

Riot police clash with protesters. Hong Kong has entered its eighth month of mass protests, originally triggered by a now withdrawn extradition bill, that have since turned into a wider pro-democracy movement

A woman crying as she pleads with the police not to beat a man. Clashes erupted around the area with police making multiple arrests, including one protester who had blood streaming from the back of his head

Riot police clashed with protesters as violence spread through the streets of Hong Kong following an authorised protest

Police detaining a protester today. Although violent anti-government protests have diminished considerably in scale following a landslide win by opposition candidates in races for district councillors late last year, trouble continues to flare

A man resisting as police try to detain protesters calling for electoral reforms. Protests have raged after being sparked by a now-abandoned proposal to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland China

Riot police clash with protesters calling for electoral reforms. Hong Kong has been wracked by often violent anti-government protests since June

A man walking past as police use tear gas on protesters calling for electoral reforms and a boycott of the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong

The frequency and ferocity of Hong Kong's protests have died down over the last month, but signs of the political unrest are everywhere, from graffiti daubed on walls to huge fences surrounding government buildings.

The city's police force is now loathed by large swathes of the city, heckled by crowds both at protest sites and in their local neighbourhoods.

Critics accuse police of using excessive force, with no police officer disciplined or punished in the last seven months of protests.

Police say they have used force commensurate with the levels of violence they face from hardcore protesters who routinely throw bricks and petrol bombs.

The force has blamed viral social media videos of officers making hard arrests and media coverage for their plummeting reputation among the city's inhabitants.

Police chasing away protesters calling for electoral reforms and a boycott of the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong

Protesters wearing black gathered for the 'universal siege on communists' rally at Chater Garden in Hong Kong today

Police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd gathered for the 'universal siege on communists' rally at Chater Garden today

Police in riot gear stand with bystanders outside a shopping mall in Causeway Bay district in Hong Kong today

Riot police swept into the area and fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. Police said they have used force commensurate with the levels of violence they face from hardcore protesters

Thousands gathered in the heart of the Central commercial district, chanting slogans such as 'Stand with Hong Kong, fight for freedom'

Among key demands of the protest movement are an independent inquiry into the police, an amnesty for 7,000 people arrested and fully free elections.

Beijing and local leader Carrie Lam have refused further concessions and defended police tactics.

In response to Sunday's rally, Hong Kong's government released a statement outlining the 'universal suffrage of ''one person, one vote'' as an ultimate aim' enshrined in the city's de facto constitution, known as the Basic Law.

This step must be implemented in line with 'gradual and orderly progress,' the statement said.

'The Government understands the aspiration of the community for universal suffrage,' it added.

'To achieve this aim, the community needs to have a clear understanding that apart from being accountable to [Hong Kong], the CE [Chief Executive] selected by universal suffrage is appointed by the Central People's Government and shall also be accountable to the CPG.'

Underpinning the protests is a deep distrust for the central government and Xi, who is widely considered China's most authoritarian leader in decades. Some protesters have accused Lam of being 'Beijing's puppet,' a label she has rejected.

Riot police detained young pro-democracy protesters during a rally in Hong Kong today that saw a return to violence on the city's streets

Protesters waved pro-democracy flags and called for a boycott of the Communist Party during a rally in Hong Kong, China

Protesters take part in a pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong, waving flags and covering their faces with masks

Demonstrators have routinely thrown bricks and gasoline bombs at riot police, who have responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and - on rare occasions - live rounds.

The months of unrest have sent the financial hub's economy reeling, as shops have shuttered during clashes and tourists have stayed away.

Hong Kong police gave approval for Sunday's rally, but not for a march that organisers were also planning.

Protesters used bricks, umbrellas and traffic barriers to barricade a road. They ran for cover after riot police appeared around Chater Garden and raised yellow warning flags, telling demonstrators that they should disperse because they were participating in an illegal assembly.

Two officers were bleeding from the head after a group of 'rioters' attacked them with wooden sticks, police said in a statement, adding that some also lobbed water bottles and other objects at law enforcement. Others threw paint bombs at buildings in the Central business district, according to police.