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Esper made his call in Paris as police in Hong Kong prevented protesters from blocking access to the airport but fired tear gas for a second night running in the densely populated district of Mong Kok.
One protester, Cherry, 26, who works in the finance industry, says the marchers want the US administration to "help protect human rights in Hong Kong".
“With the US locked in a trade war with China at this point in time, it’s a good opportunity for us to show [the US] how the pro-China groups are also violating human rights in Hong Kong and allowing police brutality," Cherry said.
Online rumours that a protester died after police stormed Prince Edward station last weekend have continued to circulate in recent days leading many Hongkongers to leave Buddhist funeral offerings near the station's exit.
Spurred on by the rumours, protesters at Tung Chung Station on Saturday night chanted "Mafia!" and "Murderers!" at riot officers.
The marchers waved US flags and carried placards.Credit:AP
Police have slammed the "malicious gossip" and on Saturday night the government released an unprecedented statement claiming that no deaths had resulted from police enforcement since protests began on June 9.
Hong Kong returned to China under a "one country, two systems" formula that guarantees freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland. Many Hong Kong residents fear Beijing is eroding that autonomy.
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China denies the accusation of meddling and says Hong Kong is an internal affair. It has denounced the protests, accusing the US and Britain of fomenting unrest, and warned of the damage to the economy.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced concessions this week aimed at ending the protests, including formally scrapping a hugely unpopular extradition bill, which ignited the unrest in June. Many protesters said it was too little, too late.
The bill would have allowed the extradition of people to mainland China to stand trial in courts controlled by the Communist Party. Hong Kong has an independent judiciary dating back to British rule.
But the demonstrations have long since broadened into calls for more democracy and many protesters have pledged to fight on.
The US State Department updated its travel advisory for Hong Kong, warning that U.S. citizens and consular employees had been the targets of a recent propaganda campaign by China "falsely accusing the United States of fomenting unrest".
Reuters, AP