
Enraged protesters beat and kicked a taxi driver who had ploughed into a Hong Kong demonstration as thousands of others marched wearing banned face masks amid new clashes with police.

The unnamed taxi driver rammed into protesters and knocked them down. At least two needed medical care.

Protesters then immediately circled the man's car and dragged him out on to the street before beating him to a bloody pulp.

Shocking footage shows masked protesters stamping on his face and kicking him during the struggle while he lies helpless and unable to move.

First aid was eventually called and the man was treated on the scene while other protesters cleared a circle around him to protect him.

Enraged protesters beat and kicked a taxi driver who had ploughed into a Hong Kong demonstration as thousands of others marched wearing banned face masks amid new clashes with police

The unnamed taxi driver rammed into protesters and knocked them down. At least two needed medical care

Protesters then immediately circled the man's car and dragged him out on to the street before beating him to a bloody pulp

Once police arrived on the scene demonstrators started throwing petrol bombs at them before running away, according to Stand News.

The man's taxi was destroyed by protesters who left all the windows smashed.

The ongoing demonstrations in Hong Kong have seen pro-democracy protesters clash with police since March 31 this year.

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the central city today wearing face masks in defiance of colonial-era emergency powers which threaten them with a year in prison for hiding their faces.

Police fired tear gas and baton charged protesters in several locations, while some protesters threw bricks and petrol bombs at police, as night began to fall.

In the first arrests under the new emergency laws, police detained scores of protesters, tied their wrists with cable and unmasked their faces before placing them on buses.

Footage shows the taxi that is believed to have been driven by the man who was beaten up by protesters today

First aid was eventually called and the man was treated on the scene while other protesters cleared a circle around him to protect him

Once police arrived on the scene demonstrators started throwing petrol bombs at them before running away, according to Stand News

A protester tosses a tear gas pellet during an Anti-ERO (Emergency Regulations Ordinance) demonstration against a newly imposed law banning face masks in public in Hong Kong

An anti-government protester throws back a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Wan Chai district

A Filipino woman is transferred by rescue workers after she was shocked by tear gas during a demonstration in Wan Chai district

The ongoing demonstrations in Hong Kong have seen pro-democracy protesters clash with police since March 31 this year. Pictured are protesters walking past defaced pictures of Chinese President Xi Jinping and other members of the government

Police fired tear gas and baton charged protesters in several locations, while some protesters threw bricks and petrol bombs at police, as night began to fall. Pictured is a member of the press after

Others lay in foetal positions on the ground, their wrists tied behind their backs, after being subdued with pepper spray and batons.

'The anti-mask law just fuels our anger and more will people come on to the street,' Lee, a university student wearing a blue mask, said today as he marched on Hong Kong island.

'We are not afraid of the new law, we will continue fighting. We will fight for righteousness. I put on the mask to tell the government that I'm not afraid of tyranny.'

Authorities had braced for two major protests today, fearing a recurrence of Friday night's violent protests which saw the Asian financial centre virtually shut down the next day.

Rescuers attend a taxi driver who was beaten by protesters after his car ran over various protesters in a crowd enclosing the taxi

Authorities had braced for two major protests today, fearing a recurrence of Friday night's violent protests which saw the Asian financial centre virtually shut down the next day

'The anti-mask law just fuels our anger and more will people come on to the street,' Lee, a university student wearing a blue mask, said today as he marched on Hong Kong island

Only hours after Hong Kong's embattled leader Carrie Lam invoked emergency powers which hadn't been used for more than 50 years, mask-wearing protesters took to the streets on Friday, setting subway stations on fire, smashing mainland China banks and clashing with police.

Today's rallies on Hong Kong island and across the harbour in Kowloon had been largely peaceful until police began to try and disperse the crowds, saying they were participating in unlawful assemblies, blocking major roads, and ordered protesters to leave immediately.

Hong Kong's four months of protests have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into its worst political crisis in decades and pose the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power six years ago.

What started as opposition to a now-withdrawn extradition bill has swelled into a pro-democracy movement against what is seen as Beijing's increasing grip on the city, undermining its 'one country, two systems' status - promised when Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

Today's rallies on Hong Kong island and across the harbour in Kowloon had been largely peaceful until police began to try and disperse the crowds, saying they were participating in unlawful assemblies

Hong Kong's four months of protests have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into its worst political crisis in decades and pose the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power six years ago

What started as opposition to a now-withdrawn extradition bill has swelled into a pro-democracy movement against what is seen as Beijing's increasing grip on the city, undermining its 'one country, two systems' status - promised when Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997

Protesters today chanted 'Hong Kongers, revolt' and 'Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong', as riot police monitored them from overhead walkways and footbridges

China dismisses the accusation, saying foreign governments, including Britain and the United States, have spread anti-China sentiment.

Protesters today chanted 'Hong Kongers, revolt' and 'Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong', as riot police monitored them from overhead walkways and footbridges, some taking photographs and filming the marchers.

Some roads clogged with protesters resembled a field of flowers, with thousands of colourful umbrellas. Umbrellas are a symbol of an earlier pro-democracy movement, but were being used today simply to keep off the rain.

Protesters handed out face masks to encourage people to defy the ban. One masked protester carried a mask-wearing 'Buzz Lightyear' doll from Walt Disney Co's 'Toy Story' animation film.

As the day wore on protesters started to target subway stations and China banks, just as they did on Friday, which forced the unprecedented closure of the city's metro railway.

As the day wore on protesters started to target subway stations and China banks, just as they did on Friday, which forced the unprecedented closure of the city's metro railway

A branch of China Construction Bank (Asia) near Prince Edward station was vandalised on Sunday with 'No China' sprayed on it's wall

Wan Chai station, closed with a neon sign saying serious vandalism, had a protester sheet draped over it which read: 'this way to HELL'

A branch of China Construction Bank (Asia) near Prince Edward station was vandalised on Sunday with 'No China' sprayed on it's wall. Wan Chai station, closed with a neon sign saying serious vandalism, had a protester sheet draped over it which read: 'this way to HELL'.

Protesters set alight a blaze at the Mong Kok MTR station, with a placard nearby reading: 'If we burn, you burn with us'.

Friday night's 'extreme violence' justified the use of emergency laws, Beijing-backed Lam said on Saturday, but the laws have sparked further violent protests.

The current 'precarious situation', which endangered public safety, left no timely solution but the anti-mask law, Matthew Cheung, Hong Kong's chief secretary, wrote on his blog on Sunday. He urged people to oppose violence ahead of grassroots district council elections set for November 24.

A protester receives medical assistance after a taxi hit two protesters along Cheung Sha Wan Road

Rescuers attend a taxi driver who was beaten by protesters after his car ran over various protesters in a crowd

Police stand near fire made by protestors in Hong Kong today

Protesters handed out face masks to encourage people to defy the ban. One masked protester carried a mask-wearing 'Buzz Lightyear' doll from Walt Disney Co's 'Toy Story' animation film

Hong Kong may have lost as much as $4billion in deposits to rival financial hub Singapore from June through August, Goldman Sachs estimated this week

Four months of protests has pushed the Asian financial hub to the brink of its first recession in a decade.

Hong Kong may have lost as much as $4billion in deposits to rival financial hub Singapore from June through August, Goldman Sachs estimated this week.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan in a blog on Sunday said despite recent obstacles, the banking system remained sound and the financial market was functioning well.

'Hong Kong will not implement foreign exchange controls. The Hong Kong dollar can be exchanged freely and capital can come in and out freely. This is the solemn guarantee of the Basic Law,' said Chan.

Hong Kong's gun-toting musclebound riot police become social media stars in China where women fans flood them with marriage proposals and beg to have their babies

Hong Kong's armed riot police have become social media stars in China where women are flooding them with marriage proposals.

Although the police force have become despised figures for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong over the last few months, they are treated like celebrities across the border in China.

Tensions between the police force and protesters came to a head this week as riot officers shot two teenagers.

Both of the boys, aged 14 and 18, are still in hospital in stable conditions.

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Hong Kong's armed riot police have become social media stars in China where women are flooding them with marriage proposals. Pictured is Lau Chak-Kei, 46, who has amassed 774,000 followers on social media

Although the police force have become despised figures for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong over the last few months, they are treated like celebrities across the border in China. Pictured is Lau Chak-Kei

Enraged protesters took to the streets wearing face masks, despite a colonial-era emergency ban on them, and screamed at the 'dirty cops'.

In turn, police have been known to show violence towards protesters and call them 'cockroaches'.

However, the heavily-muscled officers have gained thousands of followers on China's most popular social media site - Weibo.

Tensions between the police force and protesters came to a head this week as riot officers shot two teenagers. Pictured is Lau Chak-Kei

Women are flocking to the site to propose to the officers and ask to have their babies.

The officers are lauded in China for defending the sovereignty of the country.

One of the most revered officers, Lau Chak-Kei, 46, has a whopping 774,000 followers on social media and has been nicknamed Bald Lau Sir.

He came under fire from Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters for pointing a shotgun at demonstrators outside a police station in late July.

But he was invited as a guest of honour to Beijing's grand military parade that celebrates China's National Day on October 1.

Another favoured officer, Cheung Sir, posts pictures of him working out in the gym to his 73,000 followers.

According to the Telegraph, one woman said: 'Wow, those biceps are going to scare all cockroaches away. I'm willing to bear your babies!'

According to the Telegraph , one woman said: 'Wow, those biceps are going to scare all cockroaches away. I'm willing to bear your babies!' Pictured is Lau Chak-Kei

Hong Kong's embattled leader condemned pro-democracy protesters who trashed subway stations and shops last night and left the city frightened and paralysed. Pictured are Hong Kong police chasing a couple wearing face masks

Protests have become increasingly more violent in Hong Kong, as demonstrators continue to start fires in train stations and wreck shops.

The protests on Friday erupted hours after Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam invoked colonial-era emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years to ban the face masks demonstrators use to hide their identities.

Beijing-backed Lam said the night's 'extreme violence' justified the use of the emergency law.

'The radical behavior of rioters took Hong Kong through a very dark night, leaving society today half-paralyzed,' she said in pre-recorded remarks.

Carrie Lam said: 'The extreme actions of rioters created a very dark night for Hong Kong and made Hong Kong society semi-paralysed today.' Pictured is a protester wearing an Iron Man face mask

A protester receives medical assistance after a taxi hit two protesters along Cheung Sha Wan Road during a demonstration today

Protesters started fires in the streets today in an effort to block traffic

A protester tosses a tear gas pellet during an Anti-ERO (Emergency Regulations Ordinance) demonstration against a newly imposed law banning face masks

Police detain a protester on the streets after taking them to the ground on the streets of Hong Kong today

A protester wearing a skull face mask at Admiralty area in Hong Kong. Lam announced a ban on face masks using a colonial-era emergency powers

But undeterred by the ban and transport shutdown, several hundred pro-democracy protesters, many wearing masks, took to the streets yesterday, marching through the normally bustling central district of Causeway Bay.

Shouting 'Wearing mask is not a crime,' tens of thousands of protesters braved the rain today to march in central Hong Kong as a court rejected a second legal attempt to block the mask ban.

Lawmaker Dennis Kwok said the High Court refused to grant an injunction on the mask ban, but it agreed to discuss it later this month.

Many malls, shops and the entire MTR network of subways and trains shut yesterday following the overnight rampage.

About half of the city's 94 subway stations reopened today but many malls, especially in the Causeway Bay shopping district, remained shuttered as thousands of protesters marched with umbrellas while wearing face masks.

A protester throws back a teargas cannister towards police during a demonstration in the Wanchai district

People protest a government ban on face masks in Kowloon while wearing V for Vendetta masks that are commonly worn by activist group Anonymous

Protesters started throwing tear gas back at police during the protests today

Police in full protective gear gather near a streetcar stop in Hong Kong today after a night of chaos caused by ongoing riots

Critics fear the use of the Emergency Regulations Ordinance that gives Lam broad powers to implement any measures she deems necessary in an emergency would pave the way for more draconian regulations. The law was enacted by British colonial rulers in 1922 to quell a seamen's strike and last used in 1967 to crush riots.

Lam has not ruled out further measures if violence continues.

'This emergency law is so ancient and draconian. Carrie Lam is using it as some sort of weapon of mass destruction to nuke Hong Kong,' said legislator Claudia Mo.

The protest movement started in June over a now abandoned bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited for trial in mainland China.

But it has now become an anti-China movement as protesters demand more democratic rights, including direct elections for the city's leader and police accountability.

The unrest has plunged Hong Kong into its biggest political crisis since its handover from Britain to China in 1997 under a one country, two systems formula that granted it autonomy and broad freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland.

A western woman reacts after teargas was fired by police during a demonstration in the Wanchai district

A bloodied taxi driver receives medical assistance after he smashed his taxi along Cheung Sha Wan Road during a demonstration today

Police arrive as protestors burn rubbish and old crates to block traffic

'We're not sure what is going to happen later, but we felt we had to get out and show our basic right to wear a mask,' said one protester, Sue, 22, who wore a black mask and dark glasses to the Causeway Bay march

Police fire from the Mongkok police station toward protesters after they marched from the Tsim Sha Tsui district to Mongkok today

Protestors make fire to block traffic in Hong Kong while shouting 'Wearing mask is not a crime'