Coruscant terrorist attacks and riots

In the year 40 ABY, the discord between the Galactic Alliance and Corellia intensified due to Corellia's pursuit of greater autonomy, its refusal to remit Galactic Alliance taxes, and its reluctance to contribute military recruits, all while benefiting from the Galactic Alliance's infrastructure and trade advantages. Coruscant Security Force officers were present at the Senate Building during a demonstration organized by Corellian advocates, but the demonstration remained peaceful.

On day 75:4:29 GrS, at 0800 hours, a powerful explosion reverberated through the Senate District. Shortly thereafter, HoloNet News disseminated information indicating that the blast originated in the hotel area situated south of the Senate, suggesting it was a bombing. The explosion caused transparisteel to shatter into dangerous shards, vehicles to plummet from significant heights, and generated intense shockwaves, resulting in immediate chaos. The area surrounding the explosion experienced severe traffic congestion, and portions of Galactic City were placed under lockdown. The initial assessment of 105 fatalities, with the number expected to rise, and 300 injuries prompted the Office of the Chief of State to declare a state of emergency.

From the Galactic City Strategic Center, located deep within the Senate Building, the Coruscant Security Force assumed control of the response operations. These efforts were coordinated by CSF Captain Lon Shevu, with support from personnel representing Coruscant Fire and Rescue, Galactic City Air Traffic Control, various medical facility administrators, and members of the Galactic City Authority. The explosive device was detonated within The Elite Hotel on Skylane four-four-six-seven, and officers from the CSF's Tactical and Operational unit meticulously examined the wreckage for evidence. The preliminary investigation indicated that the bombing was the work of a lone individual. Although the CSF refrained from speculating on the perpetrator's identity and no group claimed responsibility, it was widely believed to be an act of Corellian terrorism.

Chief of State Cal Omas, who was present at the Strategic Center, was soon joined by Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker, and Jedi Knight Jacen Solo. The group engaged in discussions with Captain Shevu regarding the political ramifications of the bombing. Shevu informed them that the Coruscanti Immigration Service had documented nearly twenty million Corellians residing on Coruscant. Despite differing opinions on the level of threat posed by the Corellian residents, it was apparent that the explosion, which ultimately resulted in 634 deaths and hundreds of injuries, could potentially ignite a full-scale conflict.

The following day, the Corellian Sanctuary, a burial site for deceased Corellians, was defaced with graffiti, and marble plaques were shattered. Additionally, stone-set diamonds created from the cremated remains of Corellians were extracted from the ceiling and stolen from the Sanctuary, inflicting a greater psychological blow on the Corellian community than the actual physical damage. The CSF investigation concluded that this act was retaliation for the bombing of the Elite Hotel, but the individuals responsible for the vandalism could not be identified.

The subsequent day, Coruscant's potable water supply was targeted, resulting in the shutdown of half of central Coruscant's water distribution system. Although Corellian militants claimed responsibility, the contamination affected areas inhabited by Corellian residents as well. Throughout the crisis, CSF patrol vessels traversed various neighborhoods, issuing warnings to citizens about the contaminated water. Ultimately, the attack led to 456 fatalities and left over 5,000 individuals with nerve damage.

In response to the attack, a crowd of demonstrators congregated at the Corellian Embassy. The CSF was deployed, and officers established a security perimeter around the embassy. Traffic was rerouted, and access to certain parts of the Senate District was restricted to foot traffic. CSF assault ships were dispatched to monitor the crowd. As time progressed, the demonstration escalated into violence. Initial attempts by the CSF to disperse the crowd proved ineffective, and the police eventually deployed chemical irritants into the crowd. As the police clashed with the protesters, Corellian sympathizers also initiated attacks on the police. One of the police officers was nearly shot by a Corellian sympathizer within the crowd. The swift intervention of Jedi Ben Skywalker, who deflected the blaster bolt, prevented further escalation that would have resulted from the death of a police officer. In the aftermath of the contamination attack and the riot, the CSF doubled its patrols in Galactic City in an attempt to deter further escalation.

Following the riot, Galactic Alliance Chief of State Cal Omas offered Jedi Knight Jacen Solo a commission as a colonel and command of the CSF's Anti-Terrorist Unit. However, Solo believed that entrusting civilian police with the responsibilities of a secret police force would complicate ordinary police work. Given that the CSF had been attacked by both Coruscanti and Corellians during the Embassy riot, their impartiality and role were called into question. However, a purely military response was not considered a viable solution. The decision was made to create a separate agency, distinct from the CSF both physically and politically, to handle the tasks of apprehending and interning Corellian suspects and combating terrorist threats posed by Corellians on Coruscant. The name Galactic Alliance Guard was selected, and the GAG was granted emergency powers, with Jacen Solo as its commander. In protest of the formation of the secret police, Supreme Commander Gilad Pellaeon resigned from his position. Several members from CSF's Anti-Terror Unit and elite soldiers from the 967 Commando Unit were transferred to the GAG. The GAG's inaugural operation commenced in Jabi Town, located in the Corellian district of Galactic City. The CSF blockaded several skylane intersections using CSF traffic division anti-gravity vehicles before the operation began. Upon receiving the signal, the GAG, led by Jacen Solo, entered several residences and initiated the internment of Corellians. In the aftermath of the raid, the CSF personnel nicknamed the GAG troopers "stormies," drawing a comparison to the stormtroopers of the Empire.

Later, three days into the Galactic Alliance's Blockade of Corellia, another large-scale protest unfolded outside the Senate Building, involving two groups: one supporting Corellia and the other Coruscanti. The CSF established a police line to safeguard the Senate Building and to separate the two antagonistic demonstrations. The protests soon escalated into violence as the groups clashed, resulting in a full-blown riot. Although the situation was brought under control through police intervention and the use of tear gas, additional rioting erupted in one of the commercial areas of Galactic City, prompting the rapid redeployment of CSF units to address the unrest.

By the conclusion of the widespread civil unrest on Coruscant, over one thousand individuals had perished, and thousands more had sustained injuries. Riots and other forms of civil unrest persisted, although not on the same scale as the initial terrorist attacks and the establishment of the GAG. In the subsequent days and throughout the remainder of the war, the GAG continued its operations of apprehending and interning Corellians. The government's response, which included forming the GAG and interning the Corellian population of Coruscant, intensified the tensions between the Galactic Alliance and Corellia and ultimately triggered the Second Galactic Civil War. The authority granted to Jacen Solo as commander of the GAG positioned him to launch a coup, thereby seizing control of the Galactic Alliance. From that point, he sought to realize his vision for the galaxy as the Sith Lord, Darth Caedus. Although Caedus was eventually defeated, the war concluded, and the GAG was disbanded, the actions undertaken by Caedus and the GAG would continue to plague the galaxy for years to come.

The riots and civil unrest on Coruscant were depicted in the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force novel Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines. Authored by Karen Traviss and published on August 29, 2006, Bloodlines provided a detailed account of the escalation of the civil war, both on the military and domestic fronts. The events described laid the groundwork for the rest of the Legacy of the Force series, including the formation of the Galactic Alliance Guard. While no official designation exists for this sequence of events, they collectively represent a comprehensive spiral culminating in full-scale civil war.