Several FBI agents who were photographed kneeling during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Washington, D.C., have now been quietly reassigned under new leadership at the bureau—moves that many interpret as long-overdue course correction within an agency that has faced mounting criticism over politicization and internal bias.
The agents in question previously held senior roles in sensitive divisions such as counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and cybercrime. They were captured on camera kneeling during the height of the George Floyd riots—while deployed to protect federal property and monuments. At the time, the kneeling was framed by some as an attempt to “de-escalate tensions” with protesters, but critics saw it as a symbolic surrender to a movement that had fueled nationwide unrest, looting, and anti-police sentiment.
Though no disciplinary action was taken in 2020, the agents have now been moved into lower-profile roles. The reassignments, seen by insiders as demotions, come amid a broader shake-up at the bureau under the leadership of FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino—both of whom have made it clear that restoring the agency’s neutrality and credibility is a top priority.
Supporters of the move argue it’s about accountability. They say the FBI must remain impartial and cannot afford to have senior agents openly aligning—symbolically or otherwise—with any political or activist movement, especially one that has pushed to defund police and undermine law enforcement institutions.
Critics, including some within the bureau, claim the reassignments are retaliatory and politically motivated. They argue that the kneeling was a non-partisan gesture of empathy during a volatile moment and that the agents are being punished for optics rather than conduct.
The FBI has declined to publicly comment on the personnel decisions, citing internal policy. But the message from the top is clear: the era of performative politics inside the FBI is over.
This development highlights the growing divide within federal law enforcement over how to navigate politically charged events and maintain public trust. For many Americans, particularly conservatives, the kneeling incident symbolized a bureau that had lost its way. The recent shake-up suggests the current leadership intends to change that.
The post FBI Pushes Out Agents Who Knelt With BLM Protestors In 2020 appeared first on Real News Now.
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