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The founders of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protest have tearfully announced they will surrender by turning themselves in to police.

Demonstrators at the city’s main protest site said they felt abandoned by the move, after the founders told protestors to clear the streets.

• The protest that shut down Hong Kong’s CBD
• Huge Hong Kong protest gathers momentum

Dozens were left injured following a night of violence on Sunday which saw hundreds of pro-democracy protestors clash with police.

“As we prepare to surrender, we three urge the students to retreat – to put down deep roots in the community and transform the movement,” Occupy Central leader Benny Tai said.

Mr Tai said he and fellow co-founders, Chan Kin-man and Chu Yiu-ming, will surrender to police on Wednesday.

Protestors, who have blocked major roads since September demanding free leadership elections for the semi-autonomous city, said they cannot leave until their demands have been met.

“They talk about retreat. It is a betrayal of what we have insisted on all along,” said 24-year-old protester Raymond Tsang.

“We should not consider an end to the campaign until there is a solid achievement.”

– with AAP