Fights break out as Hong Kong's polarisation deepens

Fights erupted in Hong Kong on Saturday with political rivals tring blows in a mall and Beijing supporters using Chinese flags to assault opponents on a street, deepening city's polarisation after months of pro-democracy protests.

once stable international hub has been convulsed by weeks of huge, sometimes violent rallies calling for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability. movement is biggest challenge to China's rule since city was handed back by Britain in 1997 and shows sign of ending, with city leers and Beijing taking a hard line.

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Fights have begun breaking out with increased frequency after pro-democracy supporters began holding impromptu singalongs of a popular protest anm -- and as pro-Beijing supporters have held rival garings to sing China's national anm. In district of Fortress Hill on Saturday a group of men, many waving Chinese flags and wearing blue t-shirts declaring "I love HK police", attacked people perceived to be pro-democracy protesters.

Multiple videos posted online showed group of men assaulting largely younger victims with large flags on poles -- and with punches and kicks -- as terrified onlookers ran away. Hong Kong police did t respond to a request for comment on incident.

Fortress Hill is next to rth Point, an area of city where similar mob attacks by government supporters have occurred this summer and which has long been a bastion of pro-Beijing sentiment. Fights later broke out between pro-China and pro-democracy supporters in Amoy Plaza, a shopping centre on or side of harbour.  An AFP photographer on scene said some two hundred people h gared to wave Chinese flags and sing national anm.

Violence erupted after pro-democracy supporters arrived on scene with several people on both sides visibly bloodied and bruised. Police with shields and helmets later rushed into mall, ending fights. Some young pro-democracy supporters were seen being detained outside and inside mall by police. South China Morning Post said fights also broke out between ideological rivals in a subway station.

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Democracy protesters have accused police of taking sides, clamping down harder on ir camp than violent government supporters -- accusations force has strongly denied. An attack by pro-government men with sticks in town of Yuen Long in July which left more than 40 people hospitalised sent anger soaring after police were accused to taking too long to get to incident and failing to arrest aggressors on site.

Hong Kong has been battered by nearly 100 days of protests, sparked by a w-abandoned plan to allow extritions to mainland. But with few concessions won so far movement has swballed into wider calls for democracy and a halt to sliding freedoms under Beijing's rule. Millions have taken part in huge, largely peaceful demonstrations.

But smaller groups of hardline protesters have fought increasingly violent battles with riot police and vandalised subway stations in scenes that have sent shockwaves through once-stable financial hub. Under a deal signed with Britain ahe of city's 1997 handover to China, Hong Kong is allowed to keep its unique freedoms for 50 years.

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Democracy activists accuse Beijing of reneging on those promises by ramping up political control over semi-automous territory. Activists and analysts say movement will only end when some or key demands are met, such as an inquiry into police, an amnesty for nearly 1,400 people arrested and universal suffr. But re is little sign of Beijing agreeing to those demands. Plans by demonstrators to hold a large rally on Sunday have been rejected by police. Previous bans have simply been igred by masses and clashes with police have quickly followed. Protesters have also called for rallies next two weekends and a general strike starting in October. 

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