Police arrested seven people on Tuesday after they occupied the office of Microsoft President Brad Smith, protesting the company’s ties to the Israel Defense Forces during the ongoing Gaza war.
The group No Azure for Apartheid said current and former Microsoft employees were among those detained. Two were confirmed as employees by Smith at a media briefing.
The protesters oppose Israel’s reported use of Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform for surveillance and military operations. Microsoft has said it is investigating the allegations and emphasized that its terms of service prohibit such use.
Tuesday’s action follows similar demonstrations in recent months, including 18 arrests at Microsoft headquarters last week. Protesters are demanding the company cut ties with Israel and provide reparations to Palestinians.
The group No Azure for Apartheid said current and former Microsoft employees were among those detained. Two were confirmed as employees by Smith at a media briefing.
The protesters oppose Israel’s reported use of Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform for surveillance and military operations. Microsoft has said it is investigating the allegations and emphasized that its terms of service prohibit such use.
Tuesday’s action follows similar demonstrations in recent months, including 18 arrests at Microsoft headquarters last week. Protesters are demanding the company cut ties with Israel and provide reparations to Palestinians.
