The FBI has reportedly fired more than a dozen agents who were photographed kneeling during the 2020 George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C. The incident, which occurred shortly after the fatal police encounter of George Floyd, has sparked debate over the bureau’s approach to internal conduct and whether the fir’tings represent a politically motivated purge. The Associated Press and Reuters have reported that the number of dismissed agents exceeds a dozen, with some already reassigned to lower-profile roles. Critics argue that the actions were a form of de-escalation in a volatile situation, rather than a political stance, and that the firings could set a dangerous precedent. The FBI has declined to comment on the matter, while the FBI Agents Association has condemned the dismissals as unlawful, citing violations of civil service protections. The incident has occurred amid a broader wave of personnel changes under FBI Director Kash Patel, who has promised to reshape the agency’s culture.
Floyd, a Black man, died in Minneapolis after a White police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. The photos of the FBI agents kneeling have been interpreted as a symbolic gesture of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, a call for racial justice, and a response to the national outcry following Floyd’s death. However, some agents involved in the kneeling described the incident as a split-second decision to avoid confrontation with an angry crowd, with one former agent telling Reuters,