Hundreds of Hong Kong police used sledgehammers and chain saws to dismantle pro-democracy barricades near government offices and the city's financial center Tuesday, a day after clashes broke out as anti-protest groups tried to reclaim roads.
The police operation was the latest in two days to dismantle barricades after two weeks of protests, with the stalemate fueling frustrations in the Asian financial hub and draining public support for the pro-democracy movement.
Police, criticized for using tear gas and batons in the first 24 hours of the protests, have adopted a more patient approach, counting on protesters to come under public pressure to clear some of the city's major arteries.