A group of twelve former FBI counterintelligence and counterterrorism agents have filed an anonymous lawsuit against FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. The lawsuit, lodged in a federal court in Washington, D.C., claims that their dismissals breached the First and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

Identified in the suit as nine Jane Does and three John Does, the agents argue they were unjustly penalized for opting to adopt a “kneeling posture” during a tense protest in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2020. This protest erupted following the death of George Floyd at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The agents contend that their decision was a measured alternative to a violent response, reminiscent of the infamous Boston Massacre, where British soldiers fired upon American colonists in 1770.

The lawsuit elaborates on the agents’ actions, stating, “Faced with a volatile scenario, akin to the Boston Massacre, the plaintiffs chose not to replicate historical mistakes. Instead, they maintained composure with their backs against the wall. Each agent made a deliberate tactical choice prioritizing the preservation of American lives and order by adopting a kneeling posture, which was recognized during that era as a de-escalatory gesture between law enforcement and communities in turmoil.”

Despite the initial success of their decision and a subsequent review affirming their actions were within FBI guidelines and warranted no punitive measures, the lawsuit accuses Bondi’s DOJ and Patel’s FBI of attempting to “rewrite history” over five years later.

The agents assert that although an internal review—initiated in 2025 by Patel—did not find fault with their conduct in June 2020, the defendants proceeded with their terminations. They received identical letters citing “unprofessional conduct and a lack of impartiality in carrying out duties, leading to the political weaponization of government,” according to the complaint.

The plaintiffs argue that the real issue lies not in their decision to kneel but in the alleged political motivations behind the defendants’ actions, accusing them of using government powers for political ends.

“Defendants’ conduct in terminating Plaintiffs reflects an astounding lack of professionalism and lack of impartiality by the government and violates Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights under the First and Fifth Amendments,” the suit said.

Three months ago, Patel and Bondi were hit with a separate lawsuit filed by fired FBI officials claiming they were casualties of President Donald Trump’s political “retribution” campaign — by the FBI director’s own alleged admission.

“[Patel] explained he had to fire the people his superiors told him to fire, because his ability to keep his own job depended on the removal of the agents who worked on cases involving the President. Patel explained that there was nothing he or [Brian] Driscoll could do to stop these or any other firings, because ‘the FBI tried to put the President in jail and he hasn’t forgotten it,’” the September complaint said. “Driscoll indicated his belief that Patel’s reference to his superiors meant DOJ and the White House, and Patel did not deny it.”

Read the latest lawsuit here.