The FBI has reassigned several agents who were photographed kneeling with Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020. The controversial gesture, which some viewed as a de-escalation tactic and others as a political statement, drew sharp criticism. Does this incident represent political bias in federal law enforcement agencies?
FBI Demotes Senior Agents Over BLM Protest Kneeling
Multiple FBI agents photographed kneeling during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests have been reassigned to lesser positions within the bureau. The agents, who previously held senior positions in counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and cybercrime, were not provided with explanations for their demotions.
The kneeling incident occurred when agents were deployed to Washington, DC, to protect federal buildings and assist with crowd control as local law enforcement was overwhelmed. According to reports, the FBI Agents Association rewarded the kneeling agents with $100 gift cards, suggesting initial approval from within certain bureau circles.
NEW: FBI agents photographed kneeling during George Floyd protest have been removed from their positions – CNN pic.twitter.com/yCVX2a3rK9
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 30, 2025
Conflicting Perspectives on Agent Conduct
The agents’ actions during the protests have been interpreted in starkly different ways. Some former agents defended the behavior, with one telling the Washington Post, “Those agents were not ever trained to be in that situation. Riot control is not our mission. We are trained to de-escalate.”
Critics like former Rep. Matt Gaetz viewed the kneeling as inappropriate political expression by law enforcement officials. “Many FBI personnel we were trusting to be on the front lines were photographed kneeling in surrender to people who at times were violent,” Gaetz told Fox News, adding that “to climb the ladder in federal employment, you shouldn’t have to shimmy up the woke totem pole.”
🚨BREAKING: FBI reassigns agents who were photographed kneeling during BLM George Floyd terrorism riots.
I voted for this.
Hopefully reassigned to RFK Jr.'s fat camp. pic.twitter.com/VI7tAIWX11
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 30, 2025
Potential Ramifications and Bureau Response
The reassignments have sparked discussion about potential legal action from the affected agents. Legal experts suggest the agents could pursue claims if the reassignments were retaliatory or discriminatory, particularly since former FBI leadership reportedly found no policy violations in their actions.
The FBI has maintained its standard policy of silence on personnel matters, declining to comment on the specifics of these cases. The timing of these actions aligns with President Trump’s campaign promises to remove what he described as “woke” elements from federal law enforcement agencies.
The 2020 protests, which occurred in the wake of George Floyd’s death, resulted in significant property damage and multiple deaths across the country. Public frustration has grown over perceived political stances by law enforcement officers, with many Americans believing law enforcement should remain politically neutral while performing their duties.