Twelve former FBI agents who were fired after kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest in Washington have filed a lawsuit seeking reinstatement, arguing their actions were a de-escalation tactic rather than a political statement. The agents were dismissed in September by FBI Director Kash Patel, whom they accuse of retaliation for perceived lack of political alignment with Donald Trump.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, states that on 4 June 2020, days after George Floyd's death, the agents were assigned to patrol the capital amid civil unrest. Lacking protective gear and crowd control training, they were outnumbered by hostile crowds and knelt to defuse tension. The tactic succeeded, the lawsuit claims, as crowds dispersed without violence, potentially preventing a 'Washington Massacre'.
An internal FBI review and the Justice Department's inspector general both found no political motive and recommended against punishment. However, after Patel became director in February, a new disciplinary inquiry was launched, leading to termination letters citing 'unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality'. The agents argue this was a partisan effort to retaliate against those seen as sympathetic to Trump's opponents.
The plaintiffs are among about 22 agents from various Washington squads. Their lawsuit asserts that kneeling was the 'most tactically sound means to prevent violence', as they lacked adequate crowd control equipment and chose a less-lethal response to save lives.
