The Rix Road Protest, also known as the demonstration on Ferrix, was a savage uprising that occurred on the planet of Ferrix, located within the Free Trade sector, during the year 19 BBY. This event transpired after the transformation of the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire. As the clone troopers – formerly of the Grand Army of the Republic but now serving as stormtroopers in the Imperial Army – paraded down Rix Road, a number of Ferrix's inhabitants voiced their dissent during the procession. While shouting for Ferrix to be free, and for the old Galactic Republic to be restored, their commanding officer gave the order for four clone stormtroopers to aim their weapons at the Ferrixians. Several of those protesting, along with the innocent Clem Andor, who was the adoptive father of Cassian Jeron Andor, were executed via hanging.
Following years of extensive conflict across the galaxy, the Clone Wars – a war fought between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems – came to a quick and conclusive end in 19 BBY. Once the war finished, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine of the Republic reorganized the government, transforming it into the Galactic Empire and declaring himself as the Galactic Emperor. With the Republic now a tyrannical regime, the clone troopers of the former Grand Army of the Republic, who were now the stormtroopers in the Imperial Army, were sent to planets all over the galaxy in order to keep the peace and maintain order among the citizens of the Empire.
While the Empire tried to ensure a smooth transition, a regiment of stormtroopers was stationed on the planet Ferrix in the Free Trade sector in 18 BBY, during the Empire's first year. This regiment was under the command of an Imperial officer. On Ferrix, the troopers were tasked with preserving the planet's already peaceful state.
A regiment of clone troopers was deployed to Ferrix in 19 BBY, during the initial year of Imperial control. Clem Andor reported that the Imperial forces were only planning to raise an Imperial flag in order to assert their authority before leaving the planet soon after. However, the people of the town were angered by the Imperials' presence and began to throw rocks at the troopers as they passed. Those protesting demanded Ferrix's freedom and the return of the old Galactic Republic. Clem Andor left his position on the side of Rix Road and unsuccessfully tried to calm the protesters, explaining that they were only making things worse. At that moment, a rock was aggressively thrown, hitting one of the Imperials directly. The Imperial officer turned and ordered his troopers to stop, turn around, and aim their weapons at Andor, who was standing in their line of sight on the street because he was trying to intervene.
Clem was accused of participating in the violent protest and was subsequently hanged in the town square on Rix Road. Later, Cassian Jeron Andor, Clem's adopted son, entered the town square with a bar that he was using as a makeshift weapon, while Clem's corpse was still hanging. Cassian saw the frozen body of his father, with the stormtroopers standing nearby, and charged at the clones in anger, hoping to kill them in revenge. However, he was apprehended and arrested.
The Coruscant reckoning calendar dates the protest to 18 BBY, according to dating found within Andor, but the reference book Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion: The Visual Guide dates the protest to 19 BBY, based on when Cassian was arrested. This article assumes that there is no contradiction, as the two calendars would have different start dates.