As the unrest turned violent the crisis on Skye turned into outright rebellion. Hanse Davion ordered AFFS forces to put down the rebellion by force. These clashes resulted in the deaths of an estimated 200 civilians and several AFFS soldiers. A mere Leftenant at the time, and assigned to Alpha Company "White Knights" 2nd lance at the outset of the fourth succession war, Alaric Bainbridge had risen to the rank of Major and was assigned to the CRD headquarters company as a public relations officer when an angry mob began protesting outside the gates of the regional command outpost on the outskirts of the capitol city on Skye. The protesters held up signs with slogans deriding the AFFS forces stationed there and calling on them to leave. In an attempt to calm the protestors Major Bainbridge came out to the front gates, where security personnel in riot gear were being barraged by rocks and other various objects, to plead with the protestors to be reasonable and offered to meet with the protestors in person to hear out their complaints the following day. The protestors eventually dispersed as Lyran police arrived to escort them away from the compound.
The next day at the appointed time the protestors returned and were to be allowed to enter the compound and attend a town hall meeting at the dining facility where Major Bainbridge would hear their grievances. The crowd quickly grew and before the gates could be opened to begin funneling attendees to the dining facility the crowd began to chant "Death to Bainbridge!" and "Death to Davion’s Dog!" The protestors held up signs with pictures of none other than Major Bainbridge, which they one after another began to burn and set at the gates of the compound. In the meantime reports came in from the watchtowers that a lance of assault mechs was approaching the front gates from within the city. The majority of the AFFS forces stationed at the facility were out on a training mission about 10km from the front gates.