This Hong Kong situation is like a wildfire. Carrie Lam pushing for the extradition bill, which could've been innocent and insignificant, was like throwing a burnt cigarette butt onto the ground in the forest.
Like dry fuel in the forest, the society in Hong Kong has been unease for many years due to social inequalities, as well as a lot of anxieties among those who wanted to see changes but unable to do so through the existing political process. Although the political alliance is clear (either pro-Beijing or anti-Beijing), most people in Hong Kong don't wear their politics on their sleeves, and able to live with the differences.
May be some peaceful protests would've ended things, but things ended up escalating. The police beat up protesters much harder than they used to. Gangsters can now openly beat people up with no consequences. Tear gas can be deployed in crowded neighborhoods with no warning. No wonder why protesters go to the airport.
All those pro-Beijing campaigns to "restore order" really haven't worked. While I can see that many people want to restore order, they know that the pro-Beijing fraction doesn't have much credibility. On the other hand, Beijing continues to ignore the pleas from protesters and made threats. If Beijing want people's respect, they need to act with some kind of fairness, but acting fair is not what they do. They always take sides, and persecute those who take the "wrong" side.
While the United States should and do have an established position on Hong Kong issues, and have a very significant leverage over the city, but the idiot at the White House likes to have his own personal take on the issue. Those recent tweets seem weird. That may be fine if he doesn't live in the White House, but since he does I have to wonder whether tweets are helpful or not with the current situation.
With Tiananmen Square massacre happened 30 years ago, people in Hong Kong and around the world have no illusion of how far China will go to crush political opponents. Some people will say that may be possible in Hong Kong. I certainly don't want to see bloodbath in Central. However protesters have learned from Tiananmen (even though many were not born yet when it happened) and the Occupy Central 5 years ago. Their tactics have changed. Is the rest of the Hong Kong population who normally wouldn't support the protests cold hearted enough to let their sons and daughters, or grandsons and granddaughters tortured and killed? Beijing for now is trying to divide the Hong Kong people with propaganda, but if threats turn to military violence, that could be counter-productive given the Hong Kong people's spirit.