Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- Thousands of pro-democracy protesters jammed the streets of Hong Kong 's central business district Saturday night and early Sunday , clapping and cheering just hours after an ultimatum by government leaders : Let city workers back in their offices soon , or else . Demonstrators swarmed the semi-autonomous Chinese territory 's Admiralty district to hear nighttime speeches from protest leaders perched on a small spotlighted podium -- all defying city leaders ' insistence that they disperse and let Hong Kong 's life and commerce return to normal . Even after the rally , many hundreds camped out or roamed the streets early Sunday , stretching the demonstrations into their eighth day and raising the prospect that protesters intend to test the government 's latest ultimatum . `` There have been continuous clashes over the past couple days , '' Patrick Kwok , police senior superintendent , said at a Sunday morning press briefing . He said clashes were in the Mong Kok district . `` Police officers are still dealing with the situation . Protesters in those areas have been extremely uncooperative . '' Chief Executive C.Y . Leung -- under pressure from protesters demanding his resignation -- took to television Saturday evening to once again demand that protesters disperse immediately . But his demand now came with a deadline : The streets must be clear by Monday so that classes could resume at schools , he said . And entrances to the government headquarters also must be clear then , he said . He said protesters blocked 3,000 government employees from going to work Friday , clogging all entrances to the city 's chief executive office building -- something he said would not be repeated Monday . `` The government and the police have the responsibilities and determination to take all necessary actions to restore social order , '' Leung said in his televised address . `` There are numerous social problems to be solved , '' Leung added , `` but the proper way is through rational communication , finding commonalities and preserving differences -- not through resistance on ( the ) street that worsens the problem , '' he said . Who is C.Y . Leung ? Pro-democracy activists , led by student groups , are demonstrating for universal suffrage in Hong Kong and the right to directly choose candidates for elected office -- rather than having China choose the eligible candidates . They 've also called for the resignation of Leung , whom the protesters view as a puppet of Beijing . Despite Leung 's warning , activists showed no signs of going anywhere soon . Instead of tearing down barricades meant to impede any security forces , participants built them up Saturday night , making piles of metal on the perimeter . Protest leaders said Friday 's violence -- scuffles between protesters and counter-protesters in Mong Kok , a nearby district -- reinforced their resolve . They accuse police of standing by and failing to take action when some students were attacked and beaten , and when some were sexually assaulted . Peaceful protests against the government will continue despite provocations , Alex Chow , leader of the Hong Kong Federation of Students , told reporters Saturday afternoon . Throughout the day Saturday , small skirmishes continued with mainly older residents -- appearing in their 40s or 50s -- yelling at the youngsters sitting by the main tent in the Mong Kok protest area . One older man swore at the students , repeatedly cursing at them as `` kids causing trouble . '' Protest leaders : Police did n't stop attackers . A source familiar with the Hong Kong government said leaders expect a prolonged faceoff and know the conflict wo n't resolve itself in two or three days . The government plans to `` wait it out '' and thinks the number of protesters will gradually diminish , the source said . Beijing worries that Hong Kong could become an anti-communist base and that pro-democracy protests could gain traction in other Chinese cities , the source said . Beijing thinks granting Hong Kong the right to nominate candidates is a threat to national security , the source said . Health officials said more than 50 people were injured in Friday 's protests , which were punctuated by scuffles between protesters and counterprotesters in Mong Kok , a tightly packed district of shops and residences surrounding one of the city 's busiest intersections . At least 19 people were arrested Friday into Saturday , police said , on suspicion of crimes including fighting in public places , unlawful assembly and assault . Protest leaders backed out of negotiations with government officials after Friday 's violence in Mong Kok , where protest opponents tore down tents and scuffled with demonstrators ; dozens were injured . The attacks have strained relations as demonstrators say police officers failed to protect them when they were assaulted ; police accuse protesters of escalating the situation . Critics of the pro-democracy movement , called Occupy Central , say the weeklong demonstrations have hurt the economy and small businesses , and clogged traffic and daily operations of the city . Student leaders say they refuse to negotiate with the government until there is an explanation of police action . Joshua Wong , the 17-year-old leader of student group Scholarism , told CNN 's Kristie Lu Stout that the Hong Kong government should `` pay responsibility of this accident . '' Meet the 17-year-old student agitating for change . Assistant Commissioner of Police Cheung Tak-keung rejected the protesters ' claims , saying the accusations were `` totally unfounded and extremely unfair to police officers who faithfully and diligently performed their duty at the scene . '' He said police separated the two parties and set up a buffer area to prevent further injuries . In the seven days of protest , more than 150 people have been injured , and 12 were in a hospital as of 2 p.m. Saturday , the city 's information services department said . The U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong issued an advisory , warning U.S. citizens `` to avoid all protest areas due to the potential risk of escalating violence . '' Counterprotester : 'It 's anarchy ' A few dozen people who oppose the protests peacefully walked to a police station Saturday morning with blue ribbons -- which signify solidarity with the officers . `` We need order . We know what they want . Why do they still stay ? '' said one of them , retired police officer Yan pak Yu . `` Go to the park . Go the playground . Do n't obstruct the daily operations of Hong Kong . '' Another resident , Peter Bentley , a retiree added : `` It 's anarchy . These are our streets . What I oppose is anarchy . '' Hong Kong protests : What 's next ? What protesters want . Demonstrators are upset with a recently enacted policy giving Beijing veto power on who can run as a candidate for the chief executive role in the 2017 election . A new electoral system will , for the first time , let the city 's 5 million eligible voters pick a winner , rather than a 1,200-member committee stacked with Beijing loyalists that has chosen past leaders . But critics argue that the right to vote is pointless if the candidates are handpicked by Beijing . They complain the Chinese government is encroaching too much on the affairs of Hong Kong , a semiautonomous Chinese territory ruled according to the `` one country , two systems '' policy since Britain handed over Hong Kong in 1997 . Beijing condemns the protests as `` illegal acts '' and in a Saturday editorial of People 's Daily , the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party , dismissed the movement 's potential to spread to mainland China as `` no more than a daydream . '' CNN 's Madison Park and Chieu Luu reported and wrote from Hong Kong . CNN 's Jason Hanna wrote and reported from Atlanta . CNN 's Anjali Tsui , Will Ripley , Wilfred Chan , Ivan Watson , Pamela Boykoff and Rebecca Wright contributed to this report in Hong Kong .
City leader says police must clear roads , stop impeding the workers by Monday . The Hong Kong students enter seventh day . Students allege police failed to protect them when they were attacked . Police say they are behind the violence .