The latest night of demonstrations in Hong Kong appeared to come to an early end as protesters melted into crowds of weekend shoppers and tourists after verbally sparring with police for over an hour.

Protesters had gathered at 6pm on Saturday outside of Mong Kok police station, the site of frequent clashes in recent weeks, where they jeered at armed officers from behind a heavy line of journalists before dispersing into the night.

While the recent trend has been for protesters to reappear elsewhere in the city after brief standoffs with police, an eerie calm subsequently set in on Saturday evening.

It was the first time in weeks that mass weekend demonstrations did not break out into violent clashes with teargas fired by riot police. The protest movement began in early June against a legislative bill that would have allowed for residents to be extradited to mainland China.

Police did not appear to make any arrests as they marched through Mong Kok shopping district, where they were heckled by bystanders who told them to “go to hell” and accused them of being in league with the local mafia.

Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Show all 35 1 /35 Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police officers point their guns towards pro-democracy protesters after a clash at a march in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Pro-democracy protesters throw molotov cocktails during clashes with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Demonstrators rally behind barricades ass they are shrouded in tear gas deployed by police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash withpro-democracy protesters at a march in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A police officer prepares to strike a protester as clashes erupt during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A water cannon is fired by riot police to clear the street of demonstrators during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Pro-democracy protesters use a slingshot during clashes with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police fire tear gas to disperse pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong on August 24 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A demonstrator throws a molotov cocktail as they clash with riot police during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A demonstrator swings a tennis racket in an attempt to knock back a tear gas cannister thrown by riot police during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A protester displays a Hong Kong Independence flag during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police tend to a detained demonstrator who has been injured during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A demonstrator uses bamboo poles to build a barricade during a protest in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police clash with demonstrators during a protest in Hong Kong on August 24 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protesters are hit by tear gas fired by the police in Hong Kong on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Demonstrators shrouded in tear gas shield themselves behind barricades during a clash with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police arrest a protester during a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protesters fall back as they clash with police during a protest at Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police move to disperse protesters during a clash at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Commuters riding in a bus drive past protesters in Hong Kong's Kowloon Bay on August 24 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protester hold umbrellas as they take part in a pro-democracy march in Hong Kong on August 24 EPA Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police detain a demonstrator as they clash during a protest in Hong Kong on August 24 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Pro-democracy protesters block the entrance to the airport terminals after clashes with police at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police spray pepper spray as shield themselves by a police van during a clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Riot police use pepper spray to disperse protesters during a demonstration at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Demonstrators shrouded in tear gas shield themselves behind barricades during a clash with riot police in Hong Kong on August 25 Reuters Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Medical professionals gather to protest police brutality at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong on August 13 Getty Images Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police detain a pro-democracy protester at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures A protester is halted by police during an occupation at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AP Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police clash with pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Police stand guard at the entrance of the departure terminals at the Hong Kong international airport on August 13 AFP/Getty Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Protesters continue their occupation at the Hong Kong international airport on August 14 AP Continuing protests rock Hong Kong: In pictures Travellers read placards and posters left by pro-democracy protesters at the Hong Kong international airport on August 14 AP

Some threw bags of ice and a bin at police vehicles in the latest sign the public have turned against Hong Kong police, once one of the most respected forces in Asia.

Officers have been accused of using excessive force by groups including local watchdog the Civil Rights Observer and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Police have fired teargas into a subway station and nonlethal weapons at protesters from close range.

Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam has also faced criticism for failing to rein in police and blaming violence squarely on protesters.

“I am protesting because I just cannot tolerate what the police has done. It’s not right,” said Franco Fung during a march through the district of Kowloon earlier on Saturday.

“There have been multiple instances in which police have used obvious excessive force and inhumane actions to force us protesters away and justice is not given. The government is not willing to give us an individual investigation committee.”

Another demonstrator, Paul Siew, accused Hong Kong of becoming a “police state,” a refrain which has been repeated by democracy activists like Joshua Wong.

“I think the government is the police and the police is the government. Hong Kong is a police state,” Mr Siew said.

He added he remained angry the government had failed to meet any of protesters’ demands, including the permanent withdrawal of the extradition bill and Ms Lam’s resignation.

Saturday night’s protesters may have returned home early in anticipation of a mass rally on Sunday.

While many demonstrations have been arranged by word of mouth over Telegram and other social media apps, Sunday’s rally has been called by Civil Human Rights Front, a democracy coalition that has organised several record-shattering protesters in Hong Kong over the summer.

The protest is the first major event the group has called since 1 July, the anniversary of Hong Kong’s reunification with China. That march ended in radical protesters storming the city’s legislature after a peaceful demonstration attended by tens of thousands of people.

The weekend’s protests followed massive demonstrations at Hong Kong International Airport this week, which led to flights being cancelled for two consecutive days after protesters blocked check-in areas and departure lounges.