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Some people used their vehicles to block off roads, forming makeshift barricades.

A number of protesters were seen throwing bottles, umbrellas and other objects at riot police.

\"PHOTO:
Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images
PHOTO: Tear gas is seen outside the Legislative Council during violent clashes between police and protesters rallying against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong, June 12, 2019.
>

Hong Kong Police Commissioner Stephen Lo said at a press briefing Wednesday that his officers had to fire tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds, otherwise \"protesters would have used metal bars to stab our colleagues.\"

He called the situation \"dangerous\" and \"chaotic,\" but said he's confident his officers can contain the rioters, according to RTHK, Hong Kong's main English-language public broadcaster.

\"PHOTO:
Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images
PHOTO: Protesters face off with police after they fired tear gas during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong, June 12, 2019.
>

Amid the chaos, the Hong Kong Legislative Council announced it would cancel Wednesday's planned session, where lawmakers had planned to debate the extradition law amendment. Some politicians weren't able to make it inside the building due to the protests.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, the city's largest educational union, has announced an island-wide strike in protest against what they've described as an \"evil\" law.

\"PHOTO:
Dale De La Rey/AFP/Getty Images
PHOTO: Protesters block roads during a rally against a controversial extradition law proposal outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong on June 12, 2019.
>

The violent clashes come just three days after a largely peaceful march in central Hong Kong that organizers said drew over a million people.

Despite the mass protests and heightened police presence, the bill is expected to become law. Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam, has said she plans to sign the legislation.

\"PHOTO:A
Kin Cheung/AP
PHOTO:A demonstrator throws a canister of tear gas back towards the police outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, June 12, 2019.
>

Concern has been mounting in recent years in the semi-autonomous region that the central government in Beijing is undermining the freedoms guaranteed to its citizens under the terms of the territory's 1997 handover from the U.K. to China.

Mass protests against changes to the territory's electoral system in 2014 saw demonstrators occupy and paralyze parts of the city's government and commercial district for around six months.

\"PHOTO:
AP Photo/Vincent Yu
PHOTO: Protesters run away from riot police firing tear gas outside the Legislative Council during a massive demonstration in Hong Kong, Wednesday, June 12, 2019.
>

In 2016, six pro-democracy lawmakers were disqualified from their offices in a controversy over protests inserted into their oaths of office. In 2018, a political party calling for independence from China was also banned by the local government.

\"PHOTO:
AP Photo/Vincent Yu
PHOTO: Protesters gather outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, Wednesday, June 12, 2019.
>

ABC News' James Longman contributed to this report.

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