At first, the hundreds of thousands of peaceful Hong Kong demonstrators who took to the streets this June were focused on contentious, local legislation that would have allowed extraditions to the Chinese mainland.

But as the list of demands grew in the semiautonomous territory, and as clashes between the police and the protesters increased, the movement took on greater global importance.

China has viewed the protests as a challenge to its fervent nationalism, while democracy supporters worldwide have cheered what they see as a poke in the eye of the autocratic Chinese government. It all comes amid a rancorous trade war between China and the United States, and some international businesses have found themselves stuck in a political mess they wanted no part of.

How did we get here?

Here’s a primer on what’s happening in Hong Kong, and how the protests have unfolded over several months.