FBI Agents Sue Trump Administration for Wrongful Termination After Kneeling at George Floyd Protest

A group of twelve FBI agents have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration following their dismissal in September for kneeling during a 2020 demonstration in Washington that took place after George Floyd's death at the hands of police.

According to the complaint filed Monday in federal court, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had previously conducted an investigation into the incident and determined that the agents had committed no wrongdoing. The agents explained that they made the gesture in solidarity with the racial justice protest while they were outnumbered and facing hostile taunts from demonstrators.

The lawsuit claims that FBI Director Kash Patel's decision to terminate their employment came years after the incident at the behest of President Donald Trump.

"Our clients demonstrated calm professionalism to defuse a potentially violent confrontation with fellow Americans," stated Mary Dohrmann, senior counsel at Washington Litigation Group. She described the firings as partisan and a "weaponization of government."

"The nation is less secure as a result," Dohrmann added.

Dohrmann characterized the agents as patriotic individuals who had collectively earned numerous commendations throughout their careers with the FBI.

In the lawsuit, the agents are identified using John Doe and Jane Doe pseudonyms due to potential risks of harm to themselves and their families, according to a statement from Washington Litigation Group.

The legal complaint alleges that the terminations violated the agents' constitutional rights to due process and protection from being targeted based on assumptions about their political motivations. They are seeking reinstatement to their positions, back pay, and preservation of their pension benefits.

The Department of Justice and FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In the termination letters, Patel accused the agents of "unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties."