Hong Kong police officers removed barricades and a tent in a dawn raid Friday.
Police said they were not trying to clear pro-democracy protesters out of the area in Mong Kok, an offshoot of the main protest in the city's financial district, the Associated Press reported.
The officers surrounded about 30 protesters, who did not resist.
Students and other democracy supporters in Hong Kong have occupied streets for weeks, demanding their right to local elections without interference from the Chinese government. Though Hong Kong is a part of China, it has semi-autonomy and residents have a number of freedoms that are not part of the larger Chinese government.
The protests have been largely peaceful, though initial clashes with police left more than 50 people injured. Many carried umbrellas as protection against tear gas and the elements, earning the movement the nickname, the Umbrella Revolution.
After a video surfaced showing a police officer beating an activist, however, outrage followed. The leader of Hong Kong's government offered to speak with protesters as early as next weeks.
Photos on Twitter showed the cleared-out site.
One report said hundreds of police officers responded.
Within about half an hour, the area was cleared.
The motivation for the raid was not immediately known.
Protesters remained in the area, however, and began rebuilding their tents as the day went on.
Watch live video from the protests here.
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