FBI Pushes Out Agents Who Knelt With BLM Protestors In 2020

FBI agents who knelt with Black Lives Matter protesters following George Floyd’s death have been reassigned to less coveted positions, according to insiders briefed on the matter.

The agents were photographed kneeling with Black Lives Matter protestors during the 2020 protests in Washington D.C. following George Floyd’s death.

The agency was deployed by then-Attorney General Bill Barr in June 2020 to protect federal buildings and aid in crowd control efforts in the streets as local law enforcement were being overwhelmed by BLM protestors.

NEW: FBI agents photographed kneeling during George Floyd protest have been removed from their positions – CNN pic.twitter.com/yCVX2a3rK9

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FBI officials declined to explain the reassignments, stating to the New York Times, “it is our standard practice to decline to comment on personnel matters,” with many inside the bureau viewing them as demotions.

This action, first reported by CNN, aligns with President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to root out what he has called “woke” and politicized elements within law enforcement.

The kneeling incident occurred when agents assigned to protect federal monuments were confronted by protesters, with the agents claiming that their tactic prevented potential violence.

Photos of the incident sparked fierce internal backlash inside the FBI, with some agents being ostracized by colleagues who viewed the gesture as politically charged, and put the agents at a tactical disadvantage if confrontation did occur.

While former bureau leadership determined the agents hadn’t violated policy, the incident became a focal point for Trump and the GOP, who cited it as evidence of politicization within the law enforcement agency.

Legal experts note that while the FBI can transfer employees at will so long as they maintain the same pay and position, the agents could potentially pursue legal options if their reassignments were motivated by reprisal or discrimination.

Many Americans expressed frustration in 2020 when various police departments and federal agencies appeared to take political stances during nationwide protests that caused an estimated $1-2 billion in property damage and resulted in dozens of deaths.