Update | Hong Kong government supporters begin rally for political reform as pan-democrats attempt to drown them out

Government supporters have begun a rally outside the Legislative Council building as debate continues inside over the political reform package.

Hundreds of people gathered as Robert Chow Yung, leader of the Alliance for Peace and Democracy, kicked off the rally just before 6pm today with harsh words for pan-democrats – including those standing just metres away staging their own protest.

“These clowns can stop Hong Kong's democracy for a few moments or so, but they cannot stop China’s great wheel of democracy from moving on,” Chow said. “We will have universal suffrage ... eventually.”

He and his supported took over half the square outside Legco, while pan-democrats, fiercely opposed to a reform package they say represents “fake democracy”, gathered in the other half. Just fences and a 1.5 metre buffer zone separated the two sides.

As the rally began, some on the pan-democratic side created ear-splitting noise using microphones and loudspeakers, forcing some government supporters to step back from the buffer area. Pan-democrats will begin their own rally at 8pm tonight.

People on both sides had sporadically hurled abuse throughout the day.