Microsoft fires employees after breaking into President’s Office

Industry Insights from Next Move Strategy Consulting

On Thursday, Microsoft announced that it had fired two employees who had broken into President Brad Smith’s office earlier in the week.

Protest at Microsoft Headquarters Over Alleged Ties to Israel

The development follows a protest on Tuesday, when seven current and former Microsoft employees staged a demonstration inside the company’s Redmond, Washington headquarters. The group, linked to the activist collective No Azure for Apartheid, entered President Brad Smith’s office and urged Microsoft to cease both direct and indirect support for Israel, citing concerns over the alleged use of its software in the military’s operations in Gaza.

Microsoft Confirms Termination of Employees Involved in Office Break-In

In an Instagram post, the activist group No Azure for Apartheid identified the two employees dismissed by Microsoft as Riki Fameli and Anna Hattle.

“Two employees were terminated today following serious violations of company policies and our code of conduct,” a Microsoft spokesperson stated, citing unlawful entry into executive offices.

“These actions do not align with the standards we uphold for our employees. The company is continuing its investigation and working closely with law enforcement on the matter,” the statement added.

Microsoft Faces Backlash Over Azure Use in Israel

In the wake of recent protests, Microsoft President Brad Smith claimed that demonstrators had blocked employees from entering offices, planted phones as listening devices, and refused to leave until police intervened.

The activist group No Azure For Apartheid describes itself as “a movement of Microsoft workers demanding that the company end its direct and indirect complicity in Israeli apartheid and genocide.”

Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that the Israeli military had allegedly used Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure to store recordings of Palestinians’ phone calls. This prompted Microsoft to authorize an independent third-party investigation into whether its services were being exploited for surveillance purposes.

Responding to these concerns, Smith emphasized on Tuesday that Microsoft will ‘investigate and get to the truth’ regarding the use of its services.

Ongoing Protests and Law Enforcement Involvement

According to President Brad Smith, the group No Azure for Apartheid also staged demonstrations across Microsoft’s campus last week, resulting in 20 arrests in a single day—16 of whom were not Microsoft employees.

The activist group has organized multiple actions this year, including protests at Microsoft’s Build developer conference and during the company’s 50th anniversary celebration. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that a Microsoft director had contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in relation to the protests.

Tech Industry Faces Similar Employee Protests

Microsoft’s response follows a precedent set by Google, which last year dismissed 28 employees after protests over labor conditions and the company’s contract with the Israeli government and military for cloud computing and artificial intelligence services. In that incident, several employees entered the office of Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google’s cloud division.

Conclusion:

The recent protests at Microsoft highlight the growing tension between employee activism and corporate policies, particularly when global conflicts intersect with technology contracts. As cloud computing and artificial intelligence continue to play critical roles in defense, security, and government projects, tech giants like Microsoft and Google are likely to face increasing scrutiny. The way these companies balance innovation, ethical responsibility, and employee concerns will shape not only their public image but also the future of AI-driven technologies in sensitive sectors.

Source: CNBC

Prepared by: Next Move Strategy Consulting