Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam has been forced to abandon her annual address as chaos broke out in the legislature.
Lam was to announce a raft of property initiatives in a bid to restore confidence in her administration after months of unrest.
But she was shouted down by some lawmakers, who jeered as she began speaking, causing an unprecedented cancellation of the speech.
Pro-democracy lawmakers shouted "five demands, not one less" as they heckled the Chinese-ruled city’s chief executive on Wednesday.
The expression has become one of the movement's rallying calls, referring to protesters' five main demands.
The calls include universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into what they say has been excessive force by police during protests.
Some of the lawmakers wore masks of Chinese President Xi Jinping inside the chamber and held posters showing Lam with bloody hands.
Lam will instead deliver the address via video, according to a statement from the government.
She faces immense pressure to resolve the city's biggest political crisis in decades, after more than four months of protests.
Pro-democracy legislator Tanya Chan said Lam was to blame for causing Hong Kong’s suffering over the past four months.
"Both her hands are soaked with blood,” an emotional Chan told a news conference after the policy session.
"We hope Carrie Lam withdraws and quits. She has no governance ability. She is not suitable to be chief executive.”
Security was tight ahead of Lam's third policy address, with riot police stationed outside and water cannon on standby.
She was speaking hours after the US House of Representatives passed three pieces of legislation related to the Hong Kong protests.
The decision drew a swift rebuke from Beijing, which accused the lawmakers of "sinister intentions" of undermining financial stability.
Lam has ruled out making any concessions to the protesters in the face of escalating unrest.
She said: "Violence would only breed more violence."
