In other words, after the latest mass march that saw nearly 2 million people turn out in the city's streets, Lam has taken her biggest step yet toward meeting the movement's demands.

"I hope that this is a very responsible response to the aspirations for better understanding of what has taken place in Hong Kong," Lam told a briefing Tuesday. The study, she added, "will provide the government with recommendations on how to move forward and also to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents."

Lam's latest attempt to calm the protesters and assuage their anger has once again fallen short.

The moves appear to be a fresh attempt to engage with pro-democracy protesters, who came out in force on Sunday in a largely peaceful gathering that contrasted with violent clashes with police in previous weeks.