Microsoft Terminates Two Employees Following Protest in President's Office

Microsoft has terminated two employees, Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli, following their involvement in a protest inside President Brad Smith's office at the company's Redmond, Washington headquarters. The demonstration, organized by the group No Azure for Apartheid, aimed to protest Microsoft's alleged ties to the Israeli military amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

A Microsoft spokesperson stated, "Two employees were terminated today following serious breaches of company policies and our code of conduct." The spokesperson emphasized that the incidents were inconsistent with the company's expectations for employees and noted that Microsoft is cooperating fully with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation.

The protest group, No Azure for Apartheid, has called for Microsoft to sever its ties with Israel and provide reparations to Palestinians. The group alleges that Microsoft's Azure cloud platform has been used by the Israeli military for surveillance purposes. In response to these allegations, Microsoft has engaged the law firm Covington & Burling LLP to conduct an internal review.

This incident is part of a series of protests by Microsoft employees regarding the company's relationship with Israel. In April, two employees were dismissed after disrupting the company's 50th anniversary celebration to voice similar concerns.

The broader context includes a joint media investigation reporting that an Israeli military surveillance agency utilized Microsoft's Azure software to store numerous recordings of mobile phone calls made by Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Microsoft has stated that it will investigate these claims to determine the extent of its technology's use in such activities.