In a recent display of employee dissent, Microsoft's Redmond, Washington, campus became the site of a protest against the company's contracts with Israel, leading to the arrest of at least 18 individuals.
The demonstration, led by a group of current and former Microsoft employees identifying as "No Azure For Apartheid," accused the tech behemoth of providing AI technology to the Israeli military, which they allege is being utilized to "surveil, starve and kill Palestinians."
As reported by KOMO News, the arrests transpired after the demonstrators, who had assembled at the company's headquarters, refused to vacate the private property and exhibited aggressive behavior.
The Redmond Police Department noted that the protesters resorted to acts of vandalism, including pouring red paint over the Microsoft sign, obstructing a pedestrian bridge, and attempting to form a barrier with tables and chairs procured from a nearby farmer's market.
In response to the protest, Microsoft reiterated its commitment to maintaining its human rights standards and contractual terms of service, even in the Middle East. The company, last week, announced an independent and comprehensive review of recent allegations concerning the use of its Azure platform in Israel.
"Microsoft will continue to do the hard work needed to uphold its human rights standards in the Middle East, while supporting and taking clear steps to address unlawful actions that damage property, disrupt business or that threaten and harm others," the company stated.
The Wednesday arrests followed a similar, albeit less confrontational, protest on Tuesday, where approximately 35 demonstrators gathered at the Microsoft campus. Unlike the Wednesday group, these protesters complied with police instructions and left the private property without causing any incidents. However, the situation escalated the following day, resulting in property damage and subsequent arrests.
The relationship between Microsoft and some of its employees has been strained in recent months, with growing discontent over the company's contracts with Israel. In May, an employee was dismissed for interrupting a speech by CEO Satya Nadella to voice their protest against these contracts. Two others were let go in April for causing disruptions during the company's 50th-anniversary celebration.
The individuals arrested on Wednesday could potentially face charges including trespassing, malicious mischief, resisting arrest, and obstruction. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident.
Microsoft is not the only tech giant facing internal backlash for its dealings with Israel. Last year, Google employees staged several protests against their employer's contracts with Israel, including one in an executive's office. The activist group No Tech for Apartheid organized the protest in Sunnyvale, as per the group's website. The protesters demanded that Google terminate its business with Israel and withdraw from Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract signed with Israel in 2021.
In a video posted online, a man is seen informing the employees that they have been placed on administrative leave and requesting them to leave. "Its getting kinda lateI wanted to ask you, you know, to cooperate, you know, youve been placed on admin leave, and, you know, wed like to see if youd just voluntarily, you know, so its been a while, so, can you do that for us?" the man asks, as the employees had occupied the office for over eight hours.
This incident underscores the growing tension between tech giants and their employees over contracts with Israel, a contentious issue that continues to spark debate and protest within the industry.
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