Confrontation between protesters and police turned violent once again early Sunday morning in Hong Kong. As Reuters reports, the pro-democracy movement, which has been demonstrating for the past three weeks, launched a new attack in spite of news that the movement’s leaders and members of Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing government would meet next week.

According to Hong Kong authorites, via CNN, 9,000 protesters flooded the Mong Kok district early Saturday to reclaim it after police pushed them out the previous day. At least 33 arrests were made. Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority reported at least 240 injuries.

From Reuters:

In the early hours of Sunday, demonstrators launched a fresh midnight assault, suddenly putting on helmets and goggles to ready themselves, before surging forward to grab a line of metal barricades hemming them into a section of road.

Amid screams and cursing, hundreds of officers began whacking the protesters who raised a wall of umbrellas. Pepper spray was used intermittently amid violent scuffles. The police then surged forward with riot shields, forcing protesters back.

”Black Police! Black Police!" the crowds shouted amid the fray. One protester in a white T-shirt and goggles was beaten by a flurry of batons leaving him bleeding from a gash in the head. Several protesters were taken away. Fire trucks with water cannons were stationed further down the street but weren’t used.

It was announced this weekend that talks between the movements student leaders and Hong Kong’s leadership would take place on Tuesday for two hours and be broadcast live. The protesters are advocating for free elections in 2017, a proposal that China has balked at.

[Image via AP]