FBI Fires Agents Who Kneeled During 2020 Racial Justice Protest

Washington, D.C. — The FBI has dismissed several agents who were photographed kneeling during racial justice protests in Washington following the 2020 killing of George Floyd, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The agents had initially been reassigned last spring, but bureau leadership has since moved to permanently terminate their employment. While the exact number remains unclear, two sources indicated that roughly 20 FBI employees were affected. The controversial photographs captured a group of agents kneeling during demonstrations after Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody, a moment that sparked nationwide protests and widespread calls for police reform.

Although some within the FBI viewed the kneeling as a gesture of solidarity or even a potential de-escalation tactic during tense protests, others inside the bureau considered it inappropriate conduct for federal agents.

The FBI Agents Association confirmed in a statement late Friday that more than a dozen agents, including military veterans entitled to additional legal protections, had been terminated. The association condemned the dismissals as unlawful and urged Congress to launch an investigation.

“As Director Patel has repeatedly stated, nobody is above the law,” the association said. “But rather than providing these agents with fair treatment and due process, Patel chose to again violate the law by ignoring these agents’ constitutional and legal rights instead of following the requisite process.” An FBI spokesperson declined to co

“As Director Patel has repeatedly stated, nobody is above the law,” the association said. “But rather than providing these agents with fair treatment and due process, Patel chose to again violate the law by ignoring these agents’ constitutional and legal rights instead of following the requisite process.”

An FBI spokesperson declined to co

mment.

The firings are part of a broader personnel shake-up within the bureau, as Director Kash Patel continues restructuring efforts. In recent weeks, multiple senior officials and agents have been abruptly ousted, a wave of dismissals that former and current officials say has badly hurt morale.

Last month, five agents and executives were removed, including:

• Steve Jensen, who played a key role in overseeing investigations into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

• Brian Driscoll, acting FBI director in the early Trump administration, who resisted Justice Department demands to disclose the names of agents investigating the Capitol attack.

• Chris Meyer, who was falsely accused on social media of involvement in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents probe.

• Walter Giardina, who participated in several high-profile investigations, including the case against Trump adviser Peter Navarro.

A lawsuit filed by Jensen, Driscoll, and another fired supervisor, Spencer Evans, alleges that Patel acknowledged it was “likely illegal” to terminate agents based on the cases they handled but told colleagues he could not stop the process because the White House and Justice Department were determined to purge agents involved in Trump-related investigations.

Patel, testifying before Congress last week, strongly denied acting on White House orders. He maintained that any employees who were dismissed had simply failed to meet FBI standards.