It's interesting that liberals and fascists have also not liked this part specifically. Somehow depicting the empire as more than a force that makes trains run on time has had an impact on cultural discourses and ruffled feathers across political and ideological lines. And since the assailant is killed and the crime is violently refused by a lone woman, it is difficult to invent a victim narrative or a savior narrative to relieve the tension of depicting imperialism in this way.

Furthermore, I think the idea that Andor works to make the empire seem gritty misses how mundane the empire is shown. The show isn't trying to get gritty. It's saying that SV is a mundane and obvious part of empire building. Leaving it out carries its own risks, just as depicting it carries other risks.