Several FBI agents have been reassigned after they were captured in photographs kneeling at a racial justice protest in Washington, sparked by the death of George Floyd in 2020, according to two sources privy to the situation on Wednesday.
The exact reasons behind these reassignments remain unclear, but they occur amidst extensive personnel changes within the FBI, now led by Director Kash Patel. Deputy Director Dan Bongino has also been actively addressing concerns from President Donald Trump’s supporters who have been critical of the bureau, ensuring them that their grievances are being acknowledged.
In a recent message on X, previously known as Twitter, Bongino stated: “The Director and I are working on a number of significant initiatives to ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated, and that many of your open questions are answered,” without elaborating on the specific errors or queries.
CNN initially reported the reassignments, which were later corroborated by two individuals familiar with the matter to The Associated Press, who spoke under the condition of anonymity due to the private nature of the personnel changes. An FBI spokesperson declined to provide any comments.
The controversial images showed several agents kneeling in solidarity during one of the protests that erupted following the May 2020 killing of Floyd, an event that ignited global outrage after the public witnessed video footage of his arrest, leading to a profound national dialogue on police conduct and racial inequality.
The act of kneeling by some FBI agents sparked controversy within the bureau, yet it was also seen as a potential measure to calm tensions amid widespread demonstrations, and no disciplinary action was taken at that time.
During his January confirmation hearing, Patel firmly committed to not “go backwards” in pursuing vengeance against those he perceived as opponents of the Trump era.
However, even before taking office, there were already fears that the Justice Department might embark on such a path, including demands for a comprehensive list of the thousands of agents involved in probing the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
This request raised alarm bells for some, who interpreted it as a sign of an impending shake-up within the agency.
