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This is the terrifying moment a protester jumps from the second floor of a mall as he tries to run away from Hong Kong police on Christmas Eve.

The footage, which was shared by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Radio News, shows the unidentified man push past an officer and sprint across the second floor of Yoho Mall II, in Yuen Long, in an effort to escape police before leaping over a glass barrier and plummeting around four metres onto the ground below. 

The protester, who is seen wearing black trousers, a grey jumper and a rucksack, then lies on the ground curled in pain as scared onlookers stare at him in disbelief before rushing to his aid. 

Following the harrowing scenes, the injured man was taken away by paramedics before being arrested on suspicion of assaulting police, Radio Television Hong Kong reports.   

The scene comes after Hong Kong riot police fired rounds of tear gas at thousands of protesters, many wearing masks and reindeer horns, after scuffles in shopping malls and in a prime tourist district as pro-democracy rallies escalated into Christmas Eve chaos. 

The unidentified protester runs across the second floor of a mall in an effort to escape Hong Kong police on Christmas Eve

The man pushes passed an officer and  sprints across the second floor of Yuen Long mall in Hong Kong on Christmas Eve

The man runs across the second floor before leaping over a glass barrier and plummeting around four metres onto the ground below

The unidentified protester lies on the ground curled in pain as scared onlookers stare at him in disbelief before rushing to his aid

Protesters inside the malls threw umbrellas and other objects at police who responded by beating some demonstrators with batons, with one pointing his gun at the crowd, but not firing.

Meanwhile some demonstrators occupied the main roads and blocked traffic outside the malls and nearby luxury hotels in the Tsim Sha Tsui tourist district of Kowloon.

There was a heavy police presence into the night in Tsim Sha Tsui with hundreds of officers standing guard on the roads as thousands of Christmas shoppers and tourists, some wearing Santa hats, looked on. A water canon and several armoured police Jeeps were parked nearby.

Dozens of protesters started digging up bricks from the roads and set up barricades, as police said in a statement they would deploy 'minimum force to effect dispersal' and arrest 'rioters'.

Many families with children had congregated in the area to view the Christmas lights along the promenade, the spectacular backdrop of Hong Kong island on the opposite side of the harbour.

After leaping over the second floor of the mall the protester was taken away by paramedics, Radio Television Hong Kong reports

Plain clothed police officers clash with pro-democracy protesters in a shopping mall in Hong Kong on Christmas Eve

Officers dressed in plain clothes clash with the tide of Hong Kong protesters inside a shopping mall on the eve of Christmas

Protesters shield themselves behind umbrellas as Hong King police fire rounds of tear gas at them on Christmas Eve

Hong Kong riot police officers stand on guard and fire shots of tear gas at anti-government protesters on the city streets  

A protester wearing a mask reacts as police in Hong King fire tear gas to disperse bystanders in a protest in the Jordan district of  Hong Kong

Protesters wearing masks across the faces run away from police as tear gas floods onto the streets on Christmas Eve 

An officer wearing a gas mask and protective clothing gestures to a crowd to clear the street as hundreds continue to rally against the government 

Riot police holding shields against their chest congregate on a street in Hong Kong and confront hundreds of protesters during a rally 

The protests in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, now in their seventh month, have lost some of the scale and intensity of earlier violent confrontations. A peaceful rally this month still drew 800,000 people, according to organisers, showing strong support for the movement.

Scores of black clad, mask wearing protesters chanted slogans including 'Revive Hong Kong, revolution of our time,' and 'Hong Kong independence' as they roamed the malls.

'Lots of people are shopping so it's a good opportunity to spread the message and tell people what we are fighting for.' said Ken, an 18-year-old student.

'We fight for freedom, we fight for our future.'

A bank branch of global banking group HSBC was vandalised in Mong Kok, according to television footage. The bank on Friday became embroiled in a saga involving an official crackdown on a fund-raising platform supporting protesters in need.

Riot police hold shields in their hands as they disperse anti-government protesters during a protest on Christmas Eve at Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong

Armed police holding guns and wearing helmets stand in formation as protesters take to the streets in Hong Kong

A woman covers her mouth with her T-shirt as she tries to escape the tear gas flooding onto the streets on December 24

Armed police detain a Hong Kong protester and hold them to the ground after a march in the city sees the police using tear gas to disperse the crowds

Anti-government protesters cover their eyes and mouths as Hong Kong Police fire tear gas during a protest on Christmas Eve

Volunteer medics arrive to the shopping mall in Hong Kong as anti-government protesters continue rallying on Christmas Eve

A young man sits on the floor and receives treatment by medics as protesters continue to clash with police in Hong Kong

Riot police wearing helmets and holding shield take to the streets and use tear gas to disperse protesters on December 24

A man stands in the middle of a street and holds flags in his hands as Hong Kong protesters continue marching in the streets

An injured man sits on the street and receives treatment from medical staff and the protests continue for a seventh month in Hong Kong 

HSBC denied any link between a police clampdown on the platform, called Spark Alliance, and the earlier closure of an HSBC bank account tied to the group.

Protesters had nevertheless called for a boycott of the bank at its headquarters in the heart of Hong Kong's financial district.

Around 100 protesters also trashed a Starbucks inside a mall called Mira Place, breaking the glass counters displaying pastries and spraying graffiti on the walls.

A bank branch of global banking group HSBC was vandalised in Mong Kok, according to television footage. The bank on Friday became embroiled in a saga involving an official crackdown on a fund-raising platform supporting protesters in need.

HSBC denied any link between a police clampdown on the platform, called Spark Alliance, and the earlier closure of an HSBC bank account tied to the group.

Protesters had nevertheless called for a boycott of the bank at its headquarters in the heart of Hong Kong's financial district.

A protester wears a gas mask, white gloves and carries an umbrella as they walk through the streets of Hong Kong 

Protesters dressed in black clothing hold umbrellas and try and shield themselves from the tear gas on Christmas Eve 

People rush into a building as police fired tear gas on a street to disperse bystanders during a protest in Tsim Sha Tsui districts in Hong Kong on Christmas Eve

A woman wearing a Christmas costume walks across the street as Hong Kong Policed use tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters

Debris burns on a road as hundreds of protesters take to the street during a rally on Christmas Eve in Hong Kong

Riot police passed a Christmas tree in a mall during a protest rally on Christmas Eve in Hong Kong today 

Anti-government protesters wearing black jumpers and holding flags march across a shopping mall in  Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Around 100 protesters also trashed a Starbucks inside a mall called Mira Place, breaking the glass counters displaying pastries and spraying graffiti on the walls.

The coffee shop chain has been a common target of protesters after the daughter of the founder of Maxim's Caterers, which owns the local franchise, condemned the protesters at a U.N. human rights council in Geneva.

Metro operator MTR Corp said it shut two stations, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui, early on Tuesday night due to protests in the area. Train services were meant to run overnight on Christmas Eve.

The Civil Human Rights Front, which has organised some of the biggest marches involving more than a million people, has applied to stage another march on New Year's Day.

People wearing Santa hats react from tear gas during an anti-government protest on Christmas Eve in Hong Kong today 

Tear gas is released on the streets during a protest on Christmas Eve in Hong Kong. Many families with children had congregated in the area to view the Christmas lights along the promenade, the spectacular backdrop of Hong Kong island on the opposite side of the harbour

Hundreds of demonstrators throng the lobby of a mall in Hong Kong on Christmas eve as protesters targeted the tourist district

A woman wearing Christmas decorations in her hair reacts to tear gas as police confront protesters in Hong Kong today 

Protesters walk past a protest slogan during a rally on Christmas Eve in Hong Kong. Metro operator MTR Corp said it shut two stations, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui, early on Tuesday night due to protests in the area. Train services were meant to run overnight on Christmas Eve

Police have arrested more than 6,000 people since the protests escalated in June, including a large number during a protracted, violent siege at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in mid-November.

Many Hong Kong residents are angry at what they see as Beijing's meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

China denies interfering and says it is committed to the 'one country, two systems' formula put in place at that time and has blamed foreign forces for fomenting unrest.

In a video posted on her Facebook page, Chief Executive Carrie Lam wished Hong Kong citizens 'a peaceful and safe Merry Christmas'.

Lam has so far refused to grant protesters' demands which include an independent inquiry into police behaviour and the implementation of full universal suffrage.