Anti-government marches in Hong Kong have ended in rioting, with attacks on government offices, a metro station and businesses with ties to mainland China.

 Police used water cannon, tear gas and truncheons, reportedly removing masks from demonstrators they arrested, and a number of people were injured.

Tens of thousands of protesters had turned out in the rain, spurred to act by a ban on wearing masks at rallies.

The controversial ban was upheld by the High Court on Sunday. It was introduced by chief executive Carrie Lam who invoked powers dating back to colonial rule by the British.

Sunday's protests were fuelled by both the mask ban and the use by police of live bullets against protesters, which left two people injured last week.

A wave of rioting in Friday led city metro services to shut down but they had partially resumed on Sunday.