Microsoft Headquarters Occupied by Protesters Over Israel Contracts

A group of Microsoft employees, former staff, and community members staged a protest at the company’s Redmond, Washington headquarters on Tuesday. The protestors reportedly took over a plaza and declaring it a “Liberated Zone.”

They renamed the area from East Campus Plaza to “The Martyred Palestinian Children’s Plaza.” Besides, the pro-Palestine protestors set up tents, art installations, and a negotiating table calling on Microsoft executives to end the company’s partnership with the Israeli military.

According to multiple news outlets, around 50 people attended the event, which included symbolic displays highlighting civilian losses in Gaza, including shrouds and a large plate reading “Stop Starving Gaza.” The protesters plan to remain at the plaza until authorities remove them, and Microsoft has not yet issued a response.

The demonstration follows a series of protests targeting Microsoft over its work with Israel. Earlier this year, employees interrupted speeches by AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman and CEO Satya Nadella, urging the company to stop providing Israeli military access to its AI tools. Both employees were later terminated. Reports also indicated that Microsoft began blocking emails containing keywords like “Palestine,” “Gaza,” “apartheid,” and “IOF off Azure.”

The protest group, operating under No Azure for Apartheid, released a statement calling the action the “biggest escalation” against Microsoft to date. The statement referenced investigations showing Israel’s alleged collection of Palestinian call data influencing military operations.

The group also circulated a manifesto urging Microsoft and workers at other companies to cut ties with Israel and divest from partnerships tied to human rights abuses. It called for an end to what they described as “genocide and forced starvation,” reparations for Palestinians, and protections for workers supporting Palestinian advocacy. Protesters invited Microsoft executives to negotiate directly at the plaza.