Police armed with pepper spray, batons and riot shields have arrested more than forty pro-democracy demonstrators in the Admiralty district of the city as protests continued into the early hours of Monday morning.

While the situation calmed later in the day, demonstrators said they were concerned the police would move in to clear their camps.

Tension developed late on Sunday when student leaders of the protest called on supporters to gather at the administration offices of Chief Executive CY Leung.

The Associated Press quoted student leader Alex Chow as saying: "The action was aimed at paralysing the government's operation.''

"The government has been stalling... and we believe we need to focus pressure on the government headquarters, the symbol of the government's power,'' Chow added.

Police told the demonstrators to move back and then charged - forcing the demonstrators to move back. There were then clashes with a number of protestors injured and arrested. One policeman was reported to have been hurt.

The student pro-democracy demonstrators have expressed frustration that they have not been listened to by the administration. They want the people of Hong Kong to be able to choose their leaders in the 2017 elections, without interference from Beijing. China has said it will allow the vote but will screen candidates for the chief executive post.

jm/lw (AP, Reuters)