Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong, from hardened youthful protesters in black outfits and face masks to parents with their children.

Marching near the waterfront on the Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour, they sought to keep the pressure on city leader Carrie Lam after pro-democracy candidates won district council elections a week earlier.

Some marched all the way to the Hong Kong Coliseum, which is located just opposite the Polytechnic University, the site of the last fierce clashes with police two weeks ago.

Riot police were deployed in the area as they raised warning flags.

Hong Kong police fired tear gas after an estimate of 16,000 attended a rally nearby.

A man, believed to be pro-government, was beaten by a clad of protesters in all-black outfits before he was escorted into a residential building in Whampoa.

Protesters set up roadblocks with bricks and vandalised some shops and restaurants linked to China.

The tensions on Sunday in the semi-autonomous city broke a rare pause in violence that has persisted during the six-month-long movement.

Hong Kong protesters carrying American flags and banners appealing to US President Donald Trump rallied in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. The pro-democracy protesters marched to the US Consulate to thank America for approving legislation last week that would sanction Hong Kong and Chinese officials for any human rights abuses in the city. Some held banners reading “President Trump, please liberate Hong Kong” and “Let’s make Hong Kong great again.”

Trump has recently signed into law two bills that would ban exports of anti-riot munitions to China and impose possible sanctions based on its handling of Hong Kong, which drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing's foreign ministry.

Dozens of Pro-Beijing government protesters at Tsim Sha Tsui waved Chinese flags and sang nationalist songs, which ended peacefully.