The Rix Road protest, also known as the protest on Ferrix, was a violent protest on the planet Ferrix in the Free Trade sector in 18 BBY following the reformation of the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire. On the Ferrixian street of Rix Road, as clone troopers of the former Grand Army of the Republic, transformed into the stormtroopers of the Imperial Army, marched down the street, several residents of Ferrix had protested during the ceremony. While demanding for Ferrix's liberation and a return of the former Galactic Republic, four clone stormtroopers were ordered by their commanding officer to take aim on the Ferrixians. Several of the perpetrators, as well as the innocent Clem Andor, the adoptive father of Cassian Jeron Andor, were executed by hanging.
Sheev Palpatine reforms the Galactic Republic into his First Galactic Empire.
In 19 BBY, after several years of countless engagements throughout the galaxy, the Clone Wars, fought between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems, was brought to a decisive and swift closure. At the end of the war, Republic Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine reorganized the Republic into the Galactic Empire, with him ruling as its Galactic Emperor. With the Republic transformed into the tyrannical regime, the clone troopers of the former Grand Army of the Republic, now the stormtroopers of the Imperial Army, were dispatched across the galaxy to maintain peace and order among the Imperial citizens.
While attempting to maintain the peaceful transition, in 18 BBY, the first year of the Imperial reign, a regiment of stormtroopers were stationed on the planet Ferrix in the Free Trade sector, under the command of an Imperial officer. On Ferrix, the troopers were instructed to retain the planet's current stature of peace.
Clone troopers point their blasters at the protesters.
In 18 BBY, during the first year of Imperial rule, a regiment of clone troopers was dispatched to Ferrix. According to Clem Andor, the Imperial forces were only going to raise an Imperial flag to establish their authority before leaving the planet soon after. However, the town's people were upset with the Imperial presence and began pelting stones at the passing troopers. Protesters demanded for the return of the former Galactic Republic and for Ferrix's liberation. Leaving his position at the side of Rix Road, Clem unsuccessfully attempted to calm the protestors, citing that they were making the situation worse- just as a stone was aggressively thrown directly at one of the imperials. In response to the thrown objects, the Imperial officer turned and ordered his troopers to halt, turn, and raise their weapons against Andor, who was standing directly in their line of sight on the street due to his attempted intervention.
Accused of having taken part in the violent protest, Clem was subsequently hanged in the town's square at Rix Road. Later, with Clem's corpse still hanging, his adopted son Cassian Jeron Andor entered the town's square, holding a bar as a makeshift weapon. Seeing the frozen body of his father being hanged and the stormtroopers standing by it, Cassian angrily charged a the clones, intending to kill them in revenge, but was apprehended and arrested.
The Coruscant reckoning calendar dating found within Andor can be used to date the protest to 18 BBY, contradicting the reference book Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion: The Visual Guide; based on its dating of Cassian's arrest, the preceding protest would have been in 19 BBY. As the 18 BBY dating is supported by Andor, this article assumes Dawn of Rebellion to be in error.