In a bold move, Microsoft has terminated two employees who participated in a sit-in protest at the office of vice chair and president Brad Smith. Software engineers Riki Fameli and Anna Hattle were among a group of seven protesters who entered Smith’s office in Building 34, resulting in a temporary lockdown of the executive building.
The protesters live-streamed their actions on Twitch and demanded that Microsoft sever ties with the Israeli government. The incident led to the arrests of Hattle, Fameli, and several others, including former Microsoft employees and tech workers from other companies.
A Microsoft spokesperson cited “serious breaches of company policies and our code of conduct” as the reason for the employees’ termination. Brad Smith later addressed the situation in an emergency press conference, emphasizing Microsoft’s commitment to upholding human rights principles and contractual terms of service in the Middle East.
This incident follows previous protests at Microsoft’s headquarters, where demonstrators expressed opposition to the company’s contracts with Israel. The latest protests were organized by a group called No Azure for Apartheid, consisting of current and former Microsoft workers advocating for the severance of ties with the Israeli government.
