Pro-democracy protesters remained in a tense stalemate with the Hong Kong government late on Sunday after authorities warned they were determined to get the Asian financial hub back to work after more than a week of unrest.
Some protesters left the Mong Kok area of the city, pulling back from the scene of recent clashes with those who back the pro-Beijing government. But many hundreds more remained, disputing reports on social media that their leaders had called for them to leave.
"We're afraid there may be a police crackdown, so we came here to support. The more people we have, the harder it is for the police to clear," said Lester Leung, 25, who said he was ready to stay on the streets all night.
Fearing a crackdown as city leaders have called for the streets to be cleared so businesses, schools and civil servants could resume on Monday, other protesters who have paralysed parts of the former British colony with mass sit-ins also pulled back from outside Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's office.
By late Sunday evening, Reuters reporters estimated around 4,000 protesters had gathered in Admiralty, the main area they have occupied over the past week at the heart of the government district - far fewer than rallied there the previous day.
Over the past week, tens of thousands of protesters have demanded that Leung step down and that China allow them the right to vote for a leader of their choice in 2017 elections.
Facing separatist unrest in far-flung Tibet and Xinjiang, Beijing is fearful that calls for democracy in Hong Kong could spread to the mainland. The Communist Party leadership has dismissed the protests as illegal, but appears to have left it to Leung and his government to find a solution.
"NO RETREAT"
In Mong Kok, a gritty, working class neighbourhood where scuffles broke out between protesters and supporters of the government over the weekend, prompting police to use pepper spray and batons, some in the pro-democracy camp mixed defiance with pragmatism.
"We want everyone to leave because we don't want to see any more bloody conflicts ... we will come back again if the government doesn't respond (to calls for direct talks)," said Tang Sin-tung, a 16-year-old high school student.
While some packed up and left, several hundred supporters stood their ground, shouting "Mong Kok, Mong Kok, never retreat," watched by as many police.
Many residents have criticised ineffective police handling of the recent unrest in Mong Kok, a traditional stronghold of Hong Kong's notorious organised crime gangs, or Triads. Police have had to defend their tactics and denied allegations of any collaboration between the security forces and gang members - some of whom were arrested after altercations with protesters.
"We've been pepper-sprayed. We've been tear-gassed. We've seen Triads. Now we're not afraid of anything," said Kit Lee, 41, who was among those remaining in the narrow streets of the neighbourhood, one of the most densely populated on the planet.
REUTERS