Microsoft Meltdown: Protest Prompts Lockdown at Redmond HQ
Redmond headquarters of U.S. tech giant Microsoft was temporarily placed under lockdown on Monday after protesters entered the office of President Brad Smith. Members of the group “No Azure for Apartheid” staged the demonstration, live-streamed the event, and displayed banners accusing Smith of supporting genocide, according to TechCrunch.
The Verge reported that in addition to current activist employees, former workers—some of whom lost their jobs in earlier protests—also took part in the demonstration. The action comes as part of a long-standing campaign against Microsoft’s cloud contract with Israel.
Recently, a report by The Guardian revealed that Israel has been using Microsoft’s services to store millions of phone call records of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The revelation has reignited debates over the human rights responsibilities of major technology companies.
