REDMOND, Wash. — One year after Microsoft workers, former employees, and community activists set up an encampment at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, organizers say the big tech company still needs to cut ties to the Israeli military.
Protesters claim Microsoft technology was used for mass surveillance during the War in Gaza.
After last August’s encampment on Microsoft’s east campus, there were protests via kayaks in front of waterfront homes of Microsoft executives and a sit-in protest at the office of Brad Smith, Microsoft’s current President.
“For us to stand up and say what is right and speak truth to power, that is the least that we can do,” said Hossam Nasr, organizer for No Azure for Apartheid.
Nasr is a former software engineer for Microsoft and says he was arrested at two of the protests last August.
A month after the sit-in at Smith’s office, Microsoft did cut some cloud services to an Israeli military unit.
“It’s validation that direct action works, that escalation works, and through collective power we can claw back some wins from these multi-trillion-dollar corporations,” said Nasr.
Microsoft sent KIRO 7 this statement:
“Microsoft has concluded the investigation into the alleged use of our technologies for the mass surveillance of civilians by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. In June, we published a final report summarizing the investigation and outlining steps we are taking to strengthen our governance and oversight. This included establishing a process where any employee can anonymously report concerns about practices that may violate the company’s policies regarding the development and deployment of our technology through our Microsoft Integrity Portal.”
Ahmed Shahrour is a former Amazon software engineer and was among the protestors arrested last August.
“We get a slap on the wrist with an arrest, [Palestinians in Gaza] get their lives taken away from Israeli murders,” said Shahrour.
Shahrour has remained active with No Azure for Apartheid and rallies other tech workers to join the cause.
“You have access to information, you have access to these communications with these executives, and we can pressure them, and we should pressure them,” said Shahrour.
Nasr says No Azure of Apartheid is still working with current and former Microsoft workers to get Microsoft to cut all contracts with the Israeli military.
“We do have power. We do have agency, and we cannot simply submit and resign and accept that our tax dollars and our labor - even our moral consciousness - to be highjacked by those people in service of the worst crimes that humanity has ever witnessed,” said Nasr.