Authorities in Hong Kong used pepper spray on protesters as they made arrests on Sunday. Small groups of pro-democracy protesters clad in the color black held demonstrations in some of the city’s shopping malls ending a rare break on violence.

Several locations saw flash mob protests take place as vandalism broke out. Hong Kong’s riot police responded with pepper spray as the civilians heckled them in two malls.

As officers arrested a 16-year-old boy and a schoolgirl in Sha Tin mall, the pair shouted their personal details as they were led away. Earlier that same day, an old woman was knocked over in the same mall after violence broke out as one shopper tried to stop a protester from spraying graffiti.

Masked protesters had been trashing restaurants run under catering firm, Maxim’s. The firm has been frequently targeted by activists after the owner’s daughter criticized the pro-democracy movement, as per The Guardian.

The altercations mark the first in three weeks of perceived calm in Hong Kong. The special administrative region has been facing over six months of protests from pro-democracy activists. Protests show no signs of slowing down so far. During which, violent skirmishes take place between aggressive demonstrators and riot police. Disruptions in public transportation also occur as a result.

Hong Kong’s pro-democracy parties won a landslide victory in last month’s local council elections. Last Sunday, around 800,000 citizens marched in a peaceful demonstration through the streets. However public indignation remains as the Beijing government and chief executive Carrie Lam show no further signs of concession.