Protesters clash with police near Hong Kong government HQ

Pro-democracy protesters clashed with police this morning as they tried to surround Hong Kong’s government headquarters in an attempt to revitalize their flagging movement for democratic reforms after camping out on the city's streets for more than two months.

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In scenes that have become all too familiar, protesters in Hong Kong clashed with police on Monday in some of the worst disturbances since pro-democracy rallies began in late September.

Police battled activists on the streets with pepper spray, batons and riot shields. 40 protesters were arrested.

These latest clashes erupted after student leaders told a large crowd rallying on Sunday evening at the main protest site outside government headquarters in the city that they would step up their campaign.

Hundreds of demonstrators then pushed past police lines, but were stopped by barricades from going down a side road to Chief Executive Leung Chun-Ying's office.

The protesters want people in Hong Kong to be allowed to choose their leaders in the 2017 elections without interference from China and say they are taking action in order to force a response from Hong Kong's government.