FBI fires agents who kneeled at George Floyd protests: Reports

WASHINGTON, DC: At least two dozen FBI agents were dismissed Friday in connection with their actions during protests after the death of George Floyd, reports said.

An estimated 20 agents were terminated, according to the Associated Press, which noted many had already been moved to lower-profile duties.

Reuters reported the number between 15 and 22, while NBC said 15 agents were dismissed.

FBI agents kneeled as tactic to de-escalate conflict

The agents had been deployed to secure federal buildings when tensions rose between protesters and a small number of FBI personnel.

Some agents were photographed kneeling, which a source described as a tactic to de-escalate conflict.

The photographs showed a group of agents kneeling during a demonstration in Washington, DC, after Floyd’s May 2020 killing in Minneapolis. 

Kneeling had become a symbol embraced by protesters and supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Critics said the dismissals were part of a broader purge under FBI Director Kash Patel, who took over during President Donald Trump’s second term and pledged to overhaul the Bureau. The Washington Post reported that Patel’s allies viewed the kneeling incident as evidence of political bias.

FBI Agents Association condemns firings as 'unlawful'

The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) issued a statement saying it “strongly condemns” the firings as unlawful and a violation of “the due process rights of those who risk their lives to protect our country.”

The group directly accused Patel of misconduct. “Leaders uphold the law — they don’t repeatedly break it. They respect due process, rather than hide from it,” the FBIAA statement said.

The association added, “Patel’s dangerous new pattern of actions are weakening the Bureau because they eliminate valuable expertise and damage trust between leadership and the workforce, and make it harder to recruit and retain skilled agents — ultimately putting our nation at greater risk.”

Agents said kneeling was survival, not politics

Sources told Reuters the kneeling agents felt trapped between orders to avoid confrontation and the anger of large crowds.

“This wasn’t politics — it was survival,” one former agent told Reuters.

The firings added to a wave of personnel changes. Five agents and top-level executives were abruptly dismissed last month in what Fox News called a round of ousters.

Many of those terminated had already been reassigned to lower-profile duties in the years since.

These firings came just weeks after three former top FBI officials sued Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging Patel fired them to stay in Trump’s good graces.