The tension in Hong Kong burst into violence on Friday after residents attempted to stop protesters rallying on the streets, with demonstrators saying paid instigators disrupted the peaceful rallies.

The Hong Kong Federation of Students, which was part of the all week rally, cancelled a dialogue with government officials. The organization said the police has failed to protect protesters from the violent dislodge of those who participated in the demonstrations.

Like Us on Facebook

The demonstrators said residents who opposed their purpose for rallying has destroyed their tents and threatened those who joined. Marvest Chan, 24, was identified to be among those who ran away from the residents dislodging the pro-democracy rally.

Chan said the police did not stop the angry residents when they started throwing bottles filled with water. The authorities did not even warn them, he added.

Furthermore, Chan said the anti-demonstrator group told pro-democracy protesters that girls would be sexually harassed if they don’t stop the protests.

Demonstrations led by students in Hong Kong have been peacefully carrying out protests calling on the mainland to give them the right to universal suffrage. Hong Kong pro-democracy participants started their campaign after disagreeing on China’s move to approve candidates running for the 2016 elections in the country.

The peaceful protests in Hong Kong were heated today in a shopping center in Causeway Bay after verbal disagreements turned physical. A man struck another person’s face using an umbrella. Similar scenes also happened in different locations in Hong Kong.

Demonstrators said instigators were paid to disrupt peaceful demonstrations.

On Friday night, protesters and anti-demonstrators faced off in a neighborhood in Mong Kok. Police struggled to keep peace between the two camps.

Student protesters shouted “You’re off work!” to those in the camps. They were claiming that anti-occupy individuals were given money to disrupt the pro-democracy rallies.

However, residents said they were against the pro-democracy demonstrations because their lives have been interrupted by the rallies. Some schools, banks and other companies have been closed due road blocks caused by the pro-democracy demonstrators.

TagsHong Kong, Marvest Chan, Mongkok, Causeway Bay