Tension flickered across Hong Kong Saturday as riot cops squared off with protesters near a police station in a working-class neighbourhood, as an uneasy peace lasting several days threatened to give way.

Axar.az reports citing AFP that thousands of demonstrators, many wearing hard hats and gas masks, marched through the industrial Kwun Tong area, where they were blocked by dozens of riot police with shields and batons.

Antipathy has soared towards the police, who have used baton charges, rubber bullets and tear gas against hardcore protesters, but are also accused of beating peaceful demonstrators.