"Inside the Office War: Protesters Clash with Microsoft Over Gaza Tech Ties"

Microsoft had police remove protesters who stormed office in protest of the Israeli military's alleged use of the company's software as part of the invasion of Gaza. On Tuesday, current and former Microsoft employees affiliated with the group No Azure for Apartheid started protesting inside a building on Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington, and gained entry into the office of Brad Smith, the company's president. The protesters delivered a court summons notice at his office, according to a statement from the group [2]. Smith stated that the actions of the seven individuals who stormed the building, including those who entered his office, were unacceptable and that police were required to remove them after they refused to leave [2]. Among the group, two individuals were Microsoft employees, and the company will assess whether disciplinary action is appropriate [2].

The group No Azure for Apartheid has been protesting Microsoft’s relationship with the Israeli military, demanding that the company sever its ties with Israel and advocate for an end to the country’s alleged genocide [2]. These protests have been part of a broader movement in the tech industry, where megacap companies are increasingly involved in defense-related activities, particularly in the development of artificial intelligence technologies [2]. The situation has become more intense as Israel escalates its military actions in Gaza. Last year, Google fired 28 employees who trespassed at the company's facilities, and some of them had entered the office of Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google's cloud unit, which had a contract with the Israeli government [2].

The Guardian reported earlier this month that the Israeli military used Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure to store the phone calls of Palestinians, prompting the company to authorize a third-party investigation into whether Israel has used its technology for surveillance [2]. Smith emphasized the importance of understanding how Microsoft's services are being used and stated that the company has hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations [2]. Microsoft has denied that its technologies have been used to target or harm civilians in Gaza, although the company has not shared the findings of its internal review [2].

Smith also highlighted the company’s commitment to ethical technology use and reiterated Microsoft’s deep concern for the people affected by the conflict, including those in Israel who were victims of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the hostages taken during the attack, as well as the civilians who have died in Gaza as a result of the war [2]. Microsoft is seeking to ensure that its technology is provided in a responsible manner while adhering to its human rights principles and contractual terms of service [2].

The protests against Microsoft have continued for months, with a similar incident last week leading to 20 arrests. Of these, 16 individuals had no prior association with Microsoft [2]. The group has previously disrupted high-profile events at the company, including the Build developer conference and the celebration of Microsoft’s 50th anniversary [2]. The company has already taken disciplinary action, including firing employees who interrupted events and speeches by top executives [2].

The controversy reflects growing public and employee concerns about the ethical implications of corporate partnerships with military and intelligence agencies, particularly in the context of conflicts where civilian casualties are high and allegations of human rights violations persist [2]. As Microsoft and other technology firms navigate these complex issues, the balance between innovation and ethics remains a central challenge in the evolving landscape of corporate responsibility. [2]

Source: [1] Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Is Up 19% Since Jim Cramer's (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-corporation-msft-19-since-172311643.html) [2] Microsoft had police remove protesters who stormed office (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/26/microsoft-removed-protesters-who-stormed-office-israel-military-work.html) [3] Activists arrested in protest at Microsoft over Israel ties (https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-azure-gaza-palestine-israel-8820200cec5996987d49fbb669322b22)