Dozens of Microsoft employees staged a protest at the company’s east campus in Redmond, Washington, urging the tech giant to end its ties with Israel over allegations its software is being used in Gaza.
The demonstrators, who set up what they called a “Free Zone,” carried placards accusing Microsoft of complicity in Israeli military actions. The protest was organized by the group No Azure for Genocide, which is pressing the company to divest from Israel.
The action came shortly after Microsoft said it would investigate claims that its Azure cloud platform was being used by Israel’s Unit 8200 to store mass recordings of Palestinian phone calls, as reported by the Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call. Microsoft has rejected the allegations, saying it found no evidence that its technology had been used to harm civilians.
Participants told the Guardian they intensified their actions following the killing of Al Jazeera journalist and Hamas terrorist Anas al-Sharif in an Israeli strike. Former employee Hossam Nasr, who took part in the protest, told the British newspaper that al-Sharif's death had compelled him to act. Current employees also described growing frustration at what they view as Microsoft’s failure to address the issue.
The demonstration ended after two hours when police instructed protesters to leave. Microsoft confirmed it departed and repeated its statement about the ongoing review.
With about 47,000 employees in Redmond, reactions on campus were mixed. Some watched the protest, while others continued with their routines. Organizers said their efforts were aimed at raising awareness among Microsoft staff about the company’s alleged involvement in the conflict.