It was the second consecutive day of demonstrations by members of the group No Azure for Apartheid, who are urging Microsoft to sever all connections with the Israeli military and government. They claim that Microsoft’s technology is aiding in the surveillance, oppression, and violence against Palestinians in Gaza.
Law enforcement was called to the scene around 12:15 p.m. at Microsoft’s East Campus, where protesters splashed red paint on the Microsoft sign as a symbolic gesture of blood. They also erected a makeshift barrier using tables and chairs on a nearby pedestrian bridge, according to police reports.
Unlike the previous day’s protest, where demonstrators disbanded their protest site upon police warning, this time the group refused to disperse, resisted arrest, and displayed aggressive behavior, as stated by local authorities.
A significant number of law enforcement officials, including Redmond police, Washington State Patrol, Bellevue Police, and Kirkland Police, were present at the scene. The arrests were made on charges such as trespassing, vandalism, resisting arrest, and obstructing justice, with no reported injuries.
Among those detained was Hossam Nasr, a prominent figure within the group who was terminated from Microsoft last year following a prior protest on the Redmond campus. Microsoft cited violations of its policies aimed at preventing disruptions in the workplace as the reason for his dismissal.
Abdo Mohamed, another organizer within the group who was also ousted from Microsoft last year, stated after the recent protest that their actions would escalate as long as Microsoft continued its involvement in what they perceive as the Israeli economy’s support of genocide and apartheid against Palestinians in Gaza.
Mohamed criticized Microsoft for seemingly prioritizing minor disruptions caused by protesters over the alleged use of its technology in the harm and suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
Responding to the incident, Microsoft accused the group of engaging in acts of vandalism and property damage upon returning to the campus for a second day. The company further claimed that protesters disrupted and harassed local businesses during a lunchtime farmer’s market for employees by confiscating tables and tents.
In a formal statement, Microsoft reaffirmed its commitment to upholding human rights standards in the Middle East while addressing unlawful activities that cause property damage, business disruptions, or harm to individuals. The company also mentioned its ongoing independent review of new allegations concerning the misuse of its Azure platform in the surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza.
Microsoft recently announced the engagement of the law firm Covington & Burling LLP to lead the review following reports in various media outlets, including The Guardian, alleging the use of Microsoft servers by Israeli forces for mass surveillance. The company emphasized that it would publicly release the findings of the investigation.
Previous statements from Microsoft have emphasized compliance with human rights commitments and characterized its contracts with Israel’s Ministry of Defense as standard commercial agreements governed by established terms of service and an AI Code of Conduct.
While internal and external reviews conducted earlier this year found no violations, Microsoft acknowledged its limited visibility into the deployment of its technology on private or on-premises systems.
