Microsoft employee Arrested At Headquarters Protest Of Israel Contracts

The 2nd time of protests astatine Microsoft’s office progressive reddish paint.

A Microsoft worker has been arrested arsenic portion of protests astatine nan company’s office successful Redmond, Washington this week. On Tuesday, a group of existent and erstwhile Microsoft employees, arsenic good arsenic organization members, took complete a plaza astatine Microsoft’s headquarters to protestation against nan company’s contracts pinch Israel. The No Azure for Apartheid protestation group says astatine slightest 1 Microsoft worker has now been arrested arsenic portion of 18 arrests successful a 2nd time of protests.

Protestors astatine Microsoft’s office group up a “Liberated Zone” encampment for a 2nd time connected Wednesday, and poured overgarment complete a Microsoft motion connected campus. Komo News reports that Redmond Police allege that immoderate protesters besides “blocked a pedestrian bridge, and tried to create a obstruction utilizing stolen tables and chairs.” While nan group of protesters were moved connected peacefully connected nan first time of protests connected Tuesday, Redmond Police arrested 18 group astatine Wednesday’s protests and declare immoderate protestors “became aggressive.”

At slightest 1 of nan 18 arrested is simply a existent Microsoft employee, Abdo Mohamed, a No Azure for Apartheid organizer and erstwhile tech worker fired by Microsoft, confirmed to The Verge. “Those arrested see existent and erstwhile Microsoft workers arsenic good arsenic Seattle organization members,” says nan No Azure for Apartheid group successful a property release.

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The group has been organizing a bid of protests against Microsoft’s unreality contracts pinch nan Israeli authorities successful caller months. A erstwhile Microsoft worker disrupted nan company’s 50th day event and called Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman a “war profiteer.” Microsoft’s 3 CEOs were also interrupted by different erstwhile Microsoft worker during nan aforesaid event. The group besides disrupted Microsoft’s Build conference earlier this twelvemonth aggregate times, and Microsoft moreover blocked emails that incorporate “Palestine” aft these worker protests.

The latest protests travel conscionable days aft The Guardian, successful business pinch +972 Magazine and Local Call, published an investigation which revealed that nan Israeli authorities is relying connected Microsoft’s unreality services to shop recordings and information of up to “a cardinal calls an hour” made by Palestinians.

“The institution announced past week that it is pursuing a thorough and independent reappraisal of caller allegations first reported earlier this period astir nan purported usage of its Azure level successful Israel,” says an unnamed Microsoft spokesperson successful a connection to Komo News. “Microsoft will proceed to do nan difficult activity needed to uphold its quality authorities standards successful nan Middle East, while supporting and taking clear steps to reside unlawful actions that harm property, disrupt business aliases that frighten and harm others.”