The incident followed a demonstration earlier in the week by current and former staff aligned with the activist group No Azure for Apartheid. The group has accused Microsoft of enabling Israeli military operations in Gaza through its cloud computing services. Protesters reportedly gained entry into Smith’s office, where they demanded the company sever both direct and indirect ties with Israel.
In a statement, Microsoft confirmed the terminations, citing “serious breaches of company policies and our code of conduct,” and described the break-in as unlawful. The company said it was cooperating with law enforcement and continuing to investigate the matter.
Smith, speaking after the incident, claimed that demonstrators had prevented access to the office, placed mobile devices inside the workspace, and refused to leave until police intervened.
The firings come against the backdrop of mounting worker-led activism within the tech sector over contracts with governments and militaries. No Azure for Apartheid has staged repeated actions this year, including protests at Microsoft’s developer conference, the firm’s 50th anniversary celebration, and other events on campus. Earlier demonstrations led to 20 arrests, most involving individuals unaffiliated with the company.
The controversy deepened after The Guardian reported that Israel’s military had used Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure to store intercepted Palestinian phone calls, prompting Microsoft to commission a third-party review into potential misuse of its technology. Smith has said the company will investigate and “get to the truth” about how its services are being deployed.
Similar disputes have also roiled other tech giants. Last year, Google dismissed 28 workers following protests against its contract with the Israeli government and military. In one case, activists entered the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, drawing parallels with this week’s events at Microsoft.