Their unease has been heightened by another viral video of a Chinese office worker outside a major American bank being punched by a democracy supporter after arguing with a crowd who chanted “go home.”

Another mainlander called Jeremy, 25, who works in finance, told The Telegraph that he now felt a little afraid living in a city he had once considered one of the world’s safest, and chose to speak English rather than Mandarin on the streets.?

In recent weeks, a landlady had refused to rent a flat to him once she discovered he was Chinese, citing support for the protest movement.?

Although anti-mainland sentiment was not widespread in the city, incidents of “blind hatred” that did not distinguish between China as a country and its government was “upsetting,” he said. “The situation makes me want to go back to China, or at least to leave Hong Kong.”

Protesters themselves have recognised the widening polarisation in Hong Kong and are attempting to reign in the more radical elements of their group.?

The weekend’s violence led to self-reflection on LIHKG, a Reddit-like forum, where demonstrators discuss their goals and next moves.?

One post titled “If it continues, the movement could end,” received 8,426 likes after it argued that destructive acts of vigilantism would be used by the government to enforce draconian emergency measures, and would alienate the international community.?

“We are not the Red Guards,” it said. “We need to reconsider every step we take. Don’t become the ones we used to hate... I also freaking hate [pro-government supporters]. But we can’t deny that their voices are also voices.”

The post suggests boycotting pro-government, known as “blue ribbon”, businesses instead.?

An App called “WhatsGap” has already been created where restaurants are rated for their political views as blue or yellow (pro-democracy) ribbons.?

But the unregulated rating system also exposes businesses to arbitrary targeting. Suki, the owner of a Japanese restaurant rated blue looked visibly shocked when told about the App, where an anonymous user had accused her of “condemning young people for destroying Hong Kong.”

“I’ve never said anything like that,” she said, pointing out that many in her staff were openly supportive of the democracy protests and free to express their views.?

Suki said she was against violence but did not criticise the protests even though her business, in the Wan Chai district, had taken a hit through frequent neighbourhood lockdowns.?

Dennis Kwok, a Civic Party member of the city’s Legislative Council said the protest movement still enjoyed majority support despite the upsurge in violence.

“I think to a certain extent the violence we are seeing is getting out of hand. The throwing of the Molotov cocktails and smashing up of the MTR stations. I think that has to stop because we will lose the support of the international community and a lot of Hong Kong people don’t want to see that,” he said.

“But I’m not condemning. I don’t want to sever ties with people who have been out there. I understand they do it for a very good reason but maybe I have a difference of opinion on their means.”

Additional reporting by?Michael Zhang