The Federal Bureau of Investigation has dismissed more than a dozen agents who were photographed kneeling during racial justice demonstrations in June 2020, following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The decision, confirmed on Friday, September 26, 2025, represents one of the most sweeping disciplinary actions at the bureau in recent years.
At the time, the kneeling gesture was described by the agents as a de-escalation tactic to ease tensions with protesters in Washington, D.C. But senior officials later deemed it inconsistent with FBI standards of conduct.
The dismissals are part of a broader restructuring under the bureau’s new director, Kash Patel, who assumed office earlier this year.
Several senior executives and field agents have already been reassigned or removed in recent months.
Although the FBI has not disclosed the precise number of dismissals, sources familiar with the matter indicated that between 15 and 22 agents were affected.
The FBI Agents Association, which represents bureau employees, condemned the move as “unlawful,” stressing that a number of those dismissed were military veterans entitled to additional statutory protections.
“The bureau’s actions violate constitutional and statutory safeguards and undermine trust within the institution,” the association said in a statement.
Director Patel has defended the firings, insisting they were performance-related and not politically motivated.
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He rejected claims that the actions targeted perceived disloyalty or stemmed from the agents’ involvement in politically sensitive investigations during the Trump administration.
Several former officials, including ex–acting FBI director Brian Driscoll, have already filed lawsuits challenging the dismissals.
They argue the terminations amount to a “loyalty purge” and set a dangerous precedent within the bureau.
The controversy highlights lingering divisions in federal law enforcement over how to balance professional neutrality with public accountability.
For protesters in 2020, kneeling was viewed as a gesture of empathy; within the FBI, it has become a defining test of discretion, discipline, and institutional culture.