Exclusive: FBI reassigns agents from iconic photo of them kneeling during George Floyd protest

Source: CNN

Exclusive: FBI reassigns agents from iconic photo of them kneeling during George Floyd protest

By Evan Perez, CNN Senior Justice Correspondent
Updated 7:52 AM EDT, Wed April 30, 2025


Federal Bureau of Investigation officers take a knee with demonstrators on Pennsylvania Avenue on June 4, 2020, in Washington, DC.

(CNN) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reassigned several agents who were photographed kneeling with demonstrators during a 2020 protest in the wake of police killing of George Floyd, people briefed on the matter told CNN.

The reassignments, viewed as demotions by many inside the FBI, come nearly five years after the episode that ignited controversy inside the bureau. FBI officials offered no explanation for changing the roles to less coveted positions for the agents, according to sources.

The FBI declined to comment to CNN, citing its policy to not discuss personnel matters. Agents affected didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The targeting of the kneelers is part of a broader effort by the new FBI leaders to make good on promises to root out what President Donald Trump has called “woke” and politicized elements inside the agency.

{snip}

Read more: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/04/30/politics/fbi-agents-blm-protest