"They need to solve what is a political problem using political means, not through the courts," he said, referring to injunctions obtained by transport operators that were enforced yesterday.

After clearing one lane of Argyle Street, police were left in a tense stand-off last night with demonstrators who had closed off Portland Street.

"With Argyle lost, we will simply just occupy another intersection which does not fall under the court injunction. Either way, it will be illegal and we recognise this," protester Kolson Ko said. "The whole point is to block traffic and we need to find another bargaining chip."

The action began at 9.20am when Maggie Chan Man-ki, legal counsel for Chiu Luen Public Light Bus Company, which obtained the injunction to clear the street, showed up to read out the court order urging protesters to leave immediately with their belongings.

An hour later the court bailiff removal team started dismantling the road barricades one by one, starting with those at the junction of Nathan Road and Argyle Street.

The removal was completed in less than an hour, with minimal resistance from protesters, and partial traffic began to flow.

As Chan and the bailiffs entered the Occupy zone to clear out tents, they were surrounded by hordes of journalists and protesters.

The operation was slowed as they were faced down by protesters who demanded they be allowed to personally remove some of the barricades. Some Occupy supporters also loudly complained that the injunction was "not clear enough".

After negotiations between student activists and the removal team, the demonstrators were given 30 minutes to do the job.

"Occupiers should pack up and leave now. Otherwise, [their belongings] will be dealt with as disposed items and rubbish," Chan said. She warned protesters not to interfere with bailiffs' actions or police might step in. Protesters would face contempt of court charges, she added.

In response, protesters in masks and helmets shouted: "We want real suffrage." Some also held up three fingers - a reference to the sci-fi film , in which fictional denizens rise up against an authoritarian regime.

When police reinforcements arrived they issued warnings to protesters demanding that they obey the injunction and leave or face arrest for contempt of court.

"Police should explain when it's right to intervene," argued the Federation of Students' Yvonne Leung Lai-kwok, adding the court document required police to disclose when and if their assistance had been requested by the bailiffs. "Protesters have the right to know," she added.

Chaos ensued as protesters regrouped on Portland Street, just outside the Langham Place mall, where the new stand-off went on into the night.