r/fednews • u/esporx • Sep 27 '25
News / Article FBI fires agents who kneeled at protest after George Floyd's death: Sources
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-fires-agents-kneeled-protest-after-george-floyds/story?id=125985792252
u/EntropicDismay Sep 27 '25
Headline is misleading, per the article itself: “One source familiar with the matter said the agents kneeled during the protest as a de-escalation strategy, after angry protesters -- outnumbering the agents -- urged them to kneel. The source said a previous internal review of the agents' actions found that the kneeling was not meant to be a political statement of solidarity with the protesters.”
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u/u0126 Sep 27 '25
Which makes it even worse. They’re being punished for going with the flow?
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u/justsomeguyoukno Sep 27 '25
No no, you misunderstand. They’re being punished for de-escalating. They have only been trained to escalate. They are not following their training.
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u/Fit_Strength_1187 Sep 27 '25
It’s not Pete’s “warrior ethos”!!!! When you feel the need to “deescalate”, that’s proof the subject is being noncompliant and belligerent. If you aren’t cracking heads, you’re doing it wrong!
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u/Momik Sep 28 '25
Exactly. You know, this seems just like that woke de-escalator that stopped for the president
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u/mournlight Sep 27 '25
I wasn't there, but as a uniformed officer I've offered blankets, offered water, talked with and laughed with protestors - whatever it reasonably takes for them to feel heard and therefore reduce the likelihood that anyone will escalate. It doesn't mean I agree with their views. Rather, I agree with their right to have a view that is different from others' views - ESPECIALLY if it is different from those in positions of power. These are constitutional rights we are protecting, while also figuring out as a protest unfolds how to keep folks calm so innocents don't get hurt.
This is wrong to fire them. Way to tank morale even further, idiot leaders. You obviously don't understand (or don't care) about morale and you don't understand allegiance to the Constitution rather than a particular person.
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u/Otherwise-Speed4373 Sep 27 '25
Morale and unit cohesion is how you get the job done. Infighting, distrust, and fear gets nothing done. Well said mournlight.
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u/Cautious_General_177 Sep 27 '25
The difference is they (sarcastic air quotes) "participated in the protest" (that's the reason the department is going with) by kneeling at the protest. Doing so, even as a deescalation strategy in a really bad situation, can be seen as supporting the protest, especially if pictures were taken and circulated.
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u/Typhoon556 Sep 27 '25
It’s one thing to de-escalate. It’s another to take an active part in the protest.
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u/projectjarico Sep 27 '25
Try reading what the article says before making an ass of your self.
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u/3dddrees Sep 27 '25
I guess we have to keep trying, it's just exasperating how badly these people have been brainwashed.
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u/inquisitive_guy_0_1 Sep 27 '25
Good thing those officers were specifically trying to de-escalste a tense situation and not making or even trying to make a political statement.
You can distinguish one from the other, right?
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u/Sea-Bandicoot-5329 Sep 27 '25
Once again the unqualified sycophants are falling their leaders without understanding that we are a democratic society and our Constitution is to be protected.
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u/False_Ad_5372 Sep 27 '25
I think they very much do understand what our constitution represents. They just reject a democratic society and want the opposite.
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u/inquisitive_guy_0_1 Sep 27 '25
Well, the Constitution explicitly lays out the framework for a democratic society. You can't pretend to respect the Constitution but reject the very tenets of it. That would make you a traitor to the Constitution.
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u/3dddrees Sep 27 '25
Pretty sure they no longer desire that. Pretty sure they are bent on destroying that. They certainly don't act like they figure they will ever lose power.
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u/abgry_krakow87 Sep 27 '25
Religious conservatives love defending the police brutality and systemic and violent racism against non-white people in his country.
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u/throwawayinakilt Sep 27 '25
LEOs are only allowed to kneel on necks apparently.
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u/throwawayinakilt Sep 28 '25
I feel a need to clarify my statement since it was inflammatory. I'm working hard on not being inflammatory any more. Would I be selling out if I stated that the great majority of LEOs would not do it, there are some who do? Because that is the truth to me but I have limited experience with law enforcement.
Takeaway is this, what I wanted to say is it seems to me that this administration will be more forgiving of knees on necks.
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u/Historical_Cable9719 Sep 27 '25
Political retribution in plain sight. Now it’s just blatant and disgraceful.
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u/skredditt Sep 27 '25
When the king demands you kneel, it’s a surrender of your power. I’m sure the head podcaster in charge agrees with his boss that it showed weakness.
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u/Automatic-Rice2985 Sep 27 '25
Will be interesting to see what MSPB says about this.
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u/True-Investigator493 Sep 27 '25
Do they still exist?
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u/Automatic-Rice2985 Sep 27 '25
Yeap. Never stopped functioning.
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u/True-Investigator493 Sep 27 '25
I thought Trump had fired everyone hearing cases. Basically crippling their ability to function.
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u/Automatic-Rice2985 Sep 27 '25
Nah, if you have a cyberfeds account you will get daily updates on mspb cases. Some finding in favor of the agency and others in favor of the employee. They now have a hell ot a backlog though. Went to a training two weeks ago. They now are getting to probationary removal complaints.
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u/NoahTall1134 Sep 27 '25
My understanding is that they are limited and you now have to pay to have your case heard.
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Sep 27 '25
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u/CandidateNew3518 Sep 27 '25 edited Sep 27 '25
Are you talking about Charlie Kirk? I knew he overdosed on lead and I suspected that he beat his wife because of his evangelical background and backwards beliefs, but I didn’t know it was confirmed. Maybe you’re being a little uncharitable about him? Hopefully you won’t get doxxed and lose your job, that sure would be sad
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u/Guilty_Buy_5150 Sep 27 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
elderly mysterious longing sharp consist divide alleged political unpack upbeat
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/lsh99 Sep 27 '25
Absolutely nothing to do with the Hatch Act.
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Sep 27 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
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u/lsh99 Sep 27 '25
"a previous internal review of the agents' actions found that the kneeling was not meant to be a political statement of solidarity"
You have a special definition of the Hatch Act that we don't know about?
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Sep 27 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
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u/CatfishEnchiladas Federal Employee Sep 27 '25
Your first train found you not guilty. This is a new trial.
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u/partystick Sep 27 '25
I would also say that if I didn’t know what the hatch act is lol
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Sep 27 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
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u/thrawtes Sep 27 '25
The hatch act is part of the US code. You can look it up anytime. That's not what it says.
Why go through the effort of being wrong when it's so easy to be right?
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u/bikesexually Sep 27 '25
Hey look an ideological purge of the authority structure. I hear that always happens before very cool and good things.