Hong Kong police have arrested two student leaders of the protests, which began in the region in September.
Occupy Central supporters refuse to budge despite repeated attempts to remove them but police obtained a court order allowing them to clear swathes of tents and barricades.
Eighty court bailiffs were also appointed to help clear the area.
Dozens of people were injured in clashes over the weekend in the densely populated Mong Kok district of Hong Kong.
Read: Fresh clashes between Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and police
Local media said 22 police officers were injured over the weekend and four people were arrested for assault.
This morning, calm has been been restored, and protesters remain on the streets. Talks between student protesters and the government are scheduled tomorrow and will be broadcast live. Student Woody Wong, one of those camped out overnight said:
The superhero appeared to join pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong which have been going on for over a month.
A Hong Kong resident says the Occupy Central protests, now in their third week, show another side to a city known for its "cold efficiency".
Despite clashes on the streets a university student used a brief moment of quiet to ask his girlfriend to marry him and she said 'yes'.