HONG KONG, Oct. 23  -- Hong Kong police said on Thursday morning that eight people were detained in the city's crowded commercial district Mong Kok, an area which has been illegally occupied by protesters for over 20 days.

Police said in a statement that the detained people were allegedly involved in 13 cases including common assault, possession of offensive weapon, disorderly conduct in public places and arson.

More scuffles broke out on Friday night and Saturday early morning in Mong Kok. Protesters were in an attempt to reclaim the roads following the blitz clearing operation launched by the police before dawn on Friday, when most of the tents, canopies, barricades set up by protesters that had been blocking main roads were removed.

The Supreme Court of Hong Kong on Monday granted injunctions requiring protesters to clear the roads illegally occupied and forbidding them from hindering the removal of obstacles from the areas, a move following groups of mini-buse and taxi operators filed for an injunction damanding the reopening of the paralyzed traffic.

The applicant together with bailiffs on Wednesday executed the order in the area but was ignored, as more clashes erupted among residents who were assisting in removing obstacles and the occupiers.

Police have stressed that the occupied streets in Mong Kok remain a high-risk area. Clashes and crimes happened once again and undermined public order.

Police also appeal to the occupiers to respect the rule of law, obey the court order and stop occupying the roads as soon as possible. Police will continue to execute duties impartially and will not tolerate any violent acts.