Hundreds of police officers descended on Mong Kok area in Hong Kong Friday and tore down barricades, three weeksw after Occupy Central movement protesters started blockading the streets and main roads in the city.

Protesters were roused from their sleep as the police officers removed makeshift barricades and confiscated mats, tents and other materials as early as 5 a.m. even before the student leaders could organize a resistance.

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The northbound lane of Nathan Road opened to traffic at 8 a.m. after police removed all the barricades, while the southbound lane remained closed to traffic as protesters held their ground.

Police officer Catherine Kwan said the operation to clear Mong Kok was successfully and peacefully carried out and that the lives of Mong Kok residents are now back to normal.

Business was back along Nathan Road with banks and shop owners reopening and ATM services resuming.

A drugstore in the area resumed operations after weeks of closure because of the protests. The owner said he had lost more than 80% of sales since the  the Occupy movement protests started. Other business owners were glad that traffic has resumed and that they can now sell their products again.

Tensions were high in Mong Kok during the past three weeks in Mong Kok during frequent clashes between police and protesters. Some police officers were seen recently in a video kicking and punching a handcuffed protester. That sparked outrage among the demonstrators.

Hong Kong Secretary of Security Lai Tung-kwok told lawmakers that the police officers have been exercising  tolerance and impartiality when dealing with the protesters; he did not agree with the protesters' complaints that the police force abused their power.

He said that the video was an isolated incident that should not affect the image and assessment of the whole police force.

Hong Kong Chief Executive  CY Leung has again announced the resumption of talks with representatives of the Federation of Students last Thursday, days after the government walked out of the earlier scheduled talks.

The student representatives have been calling for autonomy and universal suffrage in the 2017 Hong Kong elections, demanding that they be given the right to choose their own leader.

TagsMong Kok, barricades, occupy central, protesters