Microsoft Redmond Protests lead to arrest of 18 people

Tensions escalated at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters this week as police arrested 18 protesters during demonstrations against the company’s contracts with Israel. The protests, part of the “No Azure for Apartheid” campaign, were driven by employee and activist opposition to Microsoft Azure’s reported involvement in supporting Israeli military technology.

According to Redmond police, officers intervened around 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday after protesters refused to disperse and engaged in vandalism, including splashing paint on a Microsoft sign and blocking a pedestrian bridge with furniture from a nearby farmers’ market. Authorities confirmed that 18 individuals were taken into custody after resisting police orders.

The arrests followed a larger protest on Tuesday, when about 50 current and former Microsoft employees, joined by community activists, occupied the East Campus Plaza. The group renamed the space “Martyred Palestinian Children’s Plaza,” set up tents, and held memorials for Palestinian victims. They demanded that Microsoft end its contracts with Israel and stop providing cloud and AI services that, according to them, fuel conflict in Gaza.

The protests highlight growing unrest among Big Tech employees over corporate ties to global conflicts. Similar demonstrations have recently taken place at Google, Amazon, and other Silicon Valley giants, where workers are pushing back against government and military contracts.

The issue is gaining traction on social media under hashtags like #BoycottMicrosoft, #NoAzureForApartheid, and #TechForPeace, amplifying calls for greater corporate accountability in the use of artificial intelligence and cloud technology in warfare.

While Microsoft has not publicly commented on the protests or its Israel-related contracts, the backlash underscores a broader debate over ethics in AI, human rights, and the role of technology companies in global conflicts. With tensions continuing, further demonstrations at Microsoft campuses across the U.S. are expected.