Microsoft has terminated the employment of software engineer Joe Lopez after he interrupted CEO Satya Nadella’s speech at the company’s annual Build developer conference in Seattle. Lopez protested Microsoft’s involvement in supplying technology to the Israeli military for use in the Gaza conflict. The incident occurred during the opening minutes of the conference on Monday, with Lopez being escorted out of the room after shouting at Nadella. He later sent a mass email to colleagues challenging Microsoft’s claims about the use of its Azure cloud computing platform in Gaza. This was not an isolated incident, as the conference saw multiple pro-Palestinian disruptions, including at least three executive talks being interrupted and protesters gathering outside the venue. Microsoft has previously taken action against employees protesting the company’s work in Israel, including at its 50th anniversary celebration in April. The company acknowledged last week that it provided AI services to the Israeli military for the war in Gaza but stated it had found no evidence that its Azure platform and AI technologies were used to harm people in Gaza. The advocacy group No Azure for Apartheid, led by current and former Microsoft employees, claims Lopez received a termination letter after his protest but was unable to access it. The group also alleges that Microsoft has blocked internal emails containing words like “Palestine” and “Gaza.” Microsoft has not responded to requests for comment regarding the protests and employee terminations. The four-day conference is set to conclude on Thursday.
Microsoft Fires Employee Who Protested Company’s Work with Israeli Military
By techgeekwire