Hong Kong (AFP)

Sporadic clashes erupted Wednesday between pro-democracy activists and riot police in Hong Kong, in the aftermath of violent clashes condemned by the pro-Chinese government which accused the "irresponsible and selfish rioters" of spoiling the Christmas festivities .

"Such illegal acts have not only spoiled the festive atmosphere, but have also damaged local trade," the chief executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, lambasted on Wednesday.

In Mong Kok, a shopping district frequented by clashes in the past six months, police have used tear gas to disperse crowds of police, police journalist said. AFP.

Pepper gas was also used in at least two "malls" during clashes between police and protesters. Many young protesters were arrested, some by plainclothes police who had joined the crowd, according to images broadcast live by local television.

"The government believes it can silence the population through arrests and threats, but the Hong Kong people have shown how courageous and tough they have been in recent months," Roger Mak told AFP.

The latter, who works in computer security, was among the hundreds of people who gathered in a cafe that organized a free Christmas banquet on Wednesday evening in support of the movement.

"The government believes it can silence the population with arrests and threats, but the Hong Kong people have shown our courage and resilience during these months," Roger Mak told AFP.

The clashes on Wednesday were, however, less violent than those of the previous day, which pitted hundreds of militants dressed in black for several hours in police forces in one of the busiest districts of the city.

In Hong Kong, the theater since June of the most serious crisis in the former British colony since its handover to Beijing in 1997, the violence had decreased in intensity for a month.

The movement was born out of a bill aimed at authorizing extraditions to mainland China. The local pro-Beijing executive has given up on the project, but protesters have broadened their demands for free elections and more democracy in the face of Beijing's growing stranglehold.

In Hong Kong, where a large Christian community lives, Christmas evening is traditionally very lively in bars and other shops, but this year, the authorities have given up pedestrianization of certain arteries to avoid them becoming meeting points.

In general, the police movement and repression had a significant impact on tourism and the economy of the financial center, which entered recession in the third quarter for the first time in ten years, with GDP registering in 3.2% decline.

© 2019 AFP