&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Ex-FBI agents sue Kash Patel, say they were fired for taking a knee to prevent bloodshed: The case explained")
A dozen former FBI agents have filed a lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel, accusing him of unlawfully firing them for de-escalating a tense situation during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing. The agents were fired in September 2025 for taking a knee during the 2020 protest in Washington, DC. The suit, lodged Monday (Dec 8) in federal court, also names the FBI, the Justice Department, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the Office of the President.
Fired for refusing to escalate?
The group of former FBI agents — nine women and three men — claim they were dismissed in retaliation for trying to defuse a tense encounter during the nationwide racial justice demonstrations that followed the killing of George Floyd. At the time, they were assigned to counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations in the capital.
Also read | 6 dead in Cambodia after fresh clashes along Thailand border: Cambodian defence ministry
According to the complaint, the agents were patrolling on June 4, 2020, when they came upon what they described as a "mob" made up of "hostile individuals alongside families with young children". The lawsuit says the agents chose to kneel as a way to calm the situation, avoid provoking violence and prevent the risk of a clash in which someone might grab an agent’s weapon.
Photos of the agents kneeling in their FBI gear circulated widely online, sparking criticism from some who claimed they were taking part in a political protest. But the lawsuit argues the move worked, preventing escalation at a moment when distrust between law enforcement and the public was already high.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The filing says "In addition to de-escalating, the one-legged kneeling position allowed Plaintiffs to maintain control of their firearms and ability to observe the volatile assemblage while demonstrating a level-headed law enforcement presence that avoided the use of unnecessary force against civilians," states the lawsuit filed by former federal prosecutor Mary Dohrmann. "Plaintiffs did not need to discharge their firearms that day," the lawsuit reads, adding, "Plaintiffs saved American lives."
Justice Department review vs Kash Patel
A Justice Department review conducted after the protests found the agents had acted within FBI policy. But after the Trump administration returned, Patel ordered a new internal review in June. Three months later, all twelve agents were fired. Each received a letter accusing them of "unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponisation of government".
Collectively, the former agents have nearly 200 years of FBI experience, with careers ranging from six years to more than 27. Their lawsuit argues that Patel and the FBI violated their due process rights and retaliated against them for decisions made in the interest of public safety. They are asking to be reinstated, paid back wages and benefits, and to have all records of their dismissals removed.
