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Twelve former FBI agents fired after kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest in Washington have sued to get their jobs back, saying they knelt to calm a volatile crowd, not to make a political statement. They allege Director Kash Patel dismissed them in September for being perceived as not politically affiliated with President Donald Trump, despite a prior internal review and a Justice Department inspector general finding of no political motive. Framing the dismissals within a broader personnel purge, they seek reinstatement, back pay, damages, and expungement.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.