Microsoft Fires Two Employees For Breaking Into The President's Office During Anti-Israel Protest

Microsoft terminated two employees this week after they broke into President Brad Smith’s office, according to CNBC. Seven current and former Microsoft employees staged a protest at the company’s Redmond, Washington, offices against the Israeli military’s alleged use of its software in Gaza. Members of the group No Azure for Apartheid entered Brad Smith’s office, demanding that Microsoft cut all direct and indirect ties to Israel. In a statement, Microsoft said the actions violated company policy and code of conduct, and the company is cooperating with law enforcement. Smith alleged the protesters blocked access, planted listening devices, and refused to leave until police intervened. The Guardian reported that Israel’s military used Microsoft’s Azure cloud to store Palestinian phone calls, prompting the company to launch a third-party investigation into potential surveillance use. The group has organized multiple actions this year, and Bloomberg reported a Microsoft director contacted the FBI about the demonstrations.