Ex-FBI Agents Fired for Kneeling During 2020 BLM Protests Sue Patel, Say Their Actions Prevented Violence

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Former FBI agents have filed a sweeping lawsuit against bureau head Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, claiming they were wrongfully dismissed after taking a knee during a racial justice protest in 2020. The case, brought forward by the Washington Litigation Group on behalf of 12 former agents, argues that the firings were politically motivated, unconstitutional, and carried out despite internal FBI findings that cleared the agents of any misconduct.

According to the lawsuit, the defendants — including Patel, Bondi, the Justice Department, the FBI, and even the Executive Office of the President — are responsible for what the plaintiffs describe as “unlawful terminations” that violated both their First and Fifth Amendment rights. The complaint emphasizes that the agents’ actions during the June 4, 2020 protest were not political gestures, but measured steps taken to defuse a volatile situation. One section of the filing explains that the agents intentionally adopted a kneeling posture because it had become a recognized method of de-escalation between law enforcement and community members during intense demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd.

The lawsuit further contends that shortly after assuming leadership of the bureau, Patel undertook a deliberate effort to identify and remove all agents who kneeled that day. It argues that the firings were rooted not in policy violations but in partisan bias — and even suggests that the agents would have avoided termination had their perceived political leanings aligned with those of individuals who participated in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.

Mary Dohrmann, senior counsel at the Washington Litigation Group, told POLITICO that the dismissals represent a stark misuse of government power, calling the former agents “patriotic and highly skilled public servants” who were punished for conduct that the FBI itself had found justified. “These partisan firings are the true weaponization of government. The nation is less safe as a result,” Dohrmann said, underscoring the legal team’s argument that the removals weakened the bureau at a critical time.

The suit provides a detailed account of the events on June 4, 2020, when the agents were deployed on the streets of Washington, D.C. as civil unrest intensified nationwide. The complaint states that the officers encountered an emotionally charged crowd that included agitated adults and even young children. Seeking to prevent escalation and avoid any threat of force, the agents chose to kneel — a decision they believed would calm the situation and signal restraint. Instead of being recognized for adhering to de-escalation protocols, the lawsuit argues, they became targets of political retribution that ultimately cost them their careers.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)