Microsoft President Brad Smith's office stormed by pro-Palestinian protesters over Israel ties

Pro-Palestinian protesters stormed Microsoft President Brad Smith's office, demanding disclosure of ties with the Israeli government and cancellation of Azure cloud contracts. Smith held a press conference, stating two protesters were current employees and one was a former Google employee. All seven protesters were arrested and charged with trespassing and obstruction. Smith stressed Microsoft's commitment to diversity and called the protest "distracting" from the real dialogue.

Pro-Palestinian protesters stormed Microsoft President Brad Smith's office on Tuesday, demanding disclosure of ties with the Israeli government and cancellation of Azure cloud contracts. Seven individuals, including current and former Microsoft employees, were arrested after occupying the office. All were charged with trespassing and obstruction [1].

The protest, organized by the group No Azure for Apartheid, aimed to highlight alleged use of Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for mass surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank [1]. Smith addressed the situation in a media briefing, stating that the company is actively investigating the allegations and will uphold its human rights principles and contractual terms [1].

Microsoft stock slid 0.44% on Tuesday despite most other mega-cap stocks closing in the green. Retail sentiment towards the stock remained 'bearish' (41/100) by late Tuesday on Stocktwits [2]. Smith emphasized that Microsoft will ensure its human rights principles and contractual terms are upheld globally and that employees can express their opinions internally [2].

This incident is part of a series of protests targeting Microsoft for months. Last week, 18 people were arrested in a similar demonstration at the company's headquarters [1]. Microsoft has taken action against employees involved in previous protests, including firing those who interrupted company events [1].

The protests highlight growing scrutiny of big tech companies' involvement with defense agencies in politically sensitive regions. Smith acknowledged the human toll of the Middle East conflict while emphasizing Microsoft's role in providing technology "in a principled and ethical way" [1]. Microsoft's stock has gained about 20% this year.

References:
[1] https://theoutpost.ai/news-story/microsoft-faces-protests-over-alleged-ties-to-israeli-military-prompting-office-occupation-and-arrests-19555/
[2] https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/microsoft-mulls-disciplinary-action-after-employees-storm-president-brad-smith-office/chsxAhbRdkK