HONG KONG - An angry mob opposed to the pro-democracy protests on Monday clashed with police as they sought to tear down barricades and bring an end to the three-week long demonstration that has brought Hong Kong at a standstill.

The clashes came after authorities reopened a number of roads that were blocked by the protests for over 15 days. Police said additional roads would be opened in the coming days and warned civilians they would face arrest if they attempted to thwart their efforts.

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About two dozen men stormed Hong Kong's financial district on Monday as they tore down the steel barricades pro-democracy protesters had re-erected. The men, wearing dark clothing and surgical masks to hide their identities, used box cutters to slash at the cable ties linking the barricades together, the Associated Press relayed.

Hundreds of people, chanting "Open the road!" rushed to the scene while a few taxi drivers blew on their horns to signify their outrage over the disruptions.

Scuffles following the incident ensued as police tried to hold back the crowds and keep the barriers between the two sides.

Three men were arrested during the incident. The men, aged between 18 and 47, were detained for alleged assault and possession of weapons though it remains unclear from which side the three were from.

There is speculation the anti-protest was staged by the triads who have seen a decline in profits after the pro-democracy campaign began on Sept. 28.

Others allege the masked men were paid to carry out the attack, citing an audio clip broadcasted by a local station on Monday where a man was talking about a payout of HK$2,000 (US$258) in exchange for his participation in the fracas.

The clashes on Monday have underscored unrelenting tensions within the city as pro-democracy protesters struggle to keep their momentum as the demonstrations reached its third week.

The Hong Kong government has urged the protesters to leave the city's streets but student leaders remain firm and pledged to keep up civil disobedience actions until universal suffrage is granted for the 2017 elections.

TagsHong Kong's universal suffrage, Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, occupy central, Politics of Hong Kong, politics