A Bith named Janyor took offense to a fascist depiction showcasing the Imperial crest in a color scheme of red, white, and black.
Fascism can be described as a political ideology rooted in aggressive totalitarianism. Both the Galactic Empire and its subsequent iteration, the First Order, are viewed as examples of fascist governing bodies. The Galactic Emperor, Sheev Palpatine, strategically masked his true agenda by projecting an image of political populism, presenting himself as a champion of the people who brought an end to the Clone Wars and promised a future of prosperity for the common worker. In contrast, Senator Mon Mothma, a political adversary of Palpatine, recognized his deceptive facade and understood that he was merely consolidating power within himself and his inner circle.
The Bith artist, Janyor, openly labeled the Galactic Empire as fascist, expressing his disapproval of the propaganda piece Imperius Unitada ober Totallex and its utilization of fascist visual elements. Similarly, during the Battle of Hoth, Rebel Communications Officer Toryn Farr briefly questioned her decision to order the ion cannon at Echo Base to fire against the Empire's fascist oppression, but she quickly dismissed her doubts and proceeded with the command.
The emergence of the First Order was seen as a resurgence of militarism and fascism within the galaxy. During the First Order-Resistance War, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren issued a decree for the elimination of all Resistance collaborators and any other subversive elements that stood against the First Order. During Ren's reign, some civilians with no affiliation to the wider movement started by Ren's mother, Leia Organa, actively opposed what they characterized as the First Order's fascist takeover of the galaxy.
The initial reference to fascism in current canon continuity occurred in the 2014 video game, Star Wars: Commander, where it was used to describe the Galactic Empire regime, which initially debuted in George Lucas' 1977 film, Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. The Galactic Empire was first identified as fascist back in 2008 through the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game.
In the real world, fascism is an ideology of authoritarian politics that was most prominent in Italy and Germany during the periods between World War I and World War II. Fascist governments typically involved a dominant cult of personality, and the term itself is derived from the Latin word "fasces."
George Lucas's original vision for the Empire was influenced both politically and aesthetically by fascist regimes, such as Nazi Germany, and the rise of consumerist culture and strong capitalist culture in the "American empire." Ralph McQuarrie, the original trilogy concept artist, incorporated Nazi imagery into his designs for Imperial stormtroopers. The concluding scene of A New Hope, where the Rebel Alliance gathers to celebrate their victory over the Empire at the Battle of Yavin, was inspired by visuals from the 1935 Nazi propaganda film, Triumph of the Will.