There was another disruptive protest at Microsoft Tuesday when a small group of activists forced their way inside an office building and held a sit-in complete with the usual "Free Palestine" chanting. Two of the intruders were Microsoft employees and today the company announced they had been fired.
Microsoft said Thursday it fired two employees after an anti-Israel group broke into President Brad Smith’s office to protest the software firm’s alleged ties to the war in Gaza.
A group of seven current and former staffers on Tuesday burst into Smith’s office, located in Redmond, Wash., and demanded the company end its support of Israel – following reports that its software was used by the military as part of its invasion of Gaza.
“Two employees were terminated today following serious breaches of company policies and our code of conduct,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement, adding that there were illegal break-ins at executive offices.
The group organizing the protests named the two former employees on X: Riki Fameli and Anna Hattle.
🚨🚨🚨BREAKING🚨🚨🚨
— No Azure for Apartheid (@NoAz4Apartheid) August 28, 2025
Riki Fameli and Anna Hattle have been fired after participating in the sit-in at the office of @BradSmi, Microsoft president, to demand the company cut ties with Israel!
Full campaign statement and press conference details coming soon. pic.twitter.com/HDnYs8oHRO
Here's a video of a brief part of that protest. They posted a summons to the people's court? It's like every progressive activists has a little Robespierre lurking inside him. If these people could order public executions of CEOs they would.
DEVELOPING: Seattle’s “Workers Intifada” — a coalition of radical tech activists — has occupied the office of Microsoft President Brad Smith.
— Stu (@thestustustudio) August 26, 2025
Inside, they read out “charges” against Smith, accusing Microsoft of genocide, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing. Their demands: cut ties… pic.twitter.com/koi4bJhFqz
They were ordered to leave and of course they refused. But security pushed their way inside and arrested them.
At Microsoft Presidents Brad Smith's Office Anti Genocide Protestors were attacked by Microsoft Security to protect Israeli contracts. Who tried to drag people out and take away their devices. After they failed, they were forced to call Redmond Police who then arrested people https://t.co/i2HFKsDmDD pic.twitter.com/znEhGmoMZ6
— Ali (@MerruX) August 26, 2025
This so-called "Workers Intifada" has been building up for some time. Just a day before the office takeover, the same group held a kayak protest near the president's home.
🚨 Protest outside the houses of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and President Brad Smith🚨
— No Azure for Apartheid (@NoAz4Apartheid) August 25, 2025
Yesterday, while Satya and Brad tried to hide in their gated communities, protestors showed up to their houses and yelled clearly: SATYA! BRAD! YOU CAN'T HIDE! WE CHARGE YOU WITH GENOCIDE! pic.twitter.com/8XaFJSfQmu
Yesterday in Seattle, protesters took to the water in kayaks, paddling up to the docks of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and President Brad Smith.
— Stu (@thestustustudio) August 26, 2025
“Satya! Brad! You can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!”
Organizers accused Microsoft of “profiting off Palestinians’ blood”… pic.twitter.com/FnxnrzwSos
And that followed yet another Microsoft protest last week where they set up a "liberated zone."
WE REFUSE TO ALLOW BUSINESS AS USUAL IN THE FACE OF THIS GENOCIDE! MICROSOFT YOUR HANDS ARE RED, OVER 100,000 PALESTINIANS DEAD! 🇵🇸
— No Azure for Apartheid (@NoAz4Apartheid) August 20, 2025
Microsoft cannot silence the Worker Intifada! Today’s actions drew direct inspiration from the revolutionary Student Intifada [1/3] pic.twitter.com/lj8T9ytV5n
This particular occupation didn't last long. Police dragged their tents away and arrested about 20 of them.
Finally, here's President Brad Smith talking with the media about the occupation of his office and the fact that they apparently left phones behind as listening devices.
DEVELOPING: Microsoft President Brad Smith said they found listening devices planted in his office today following the occupation by Hamasniks after they were arrested and removed
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) August 27, 2025
Microsoft has US military contracts
2/7 radicals are Microsoft employees, 1 worked for Google. pic.twitter.com/CkBN4rUnoh
The group behind this is holding a press conference today featuring the two former employees. No word yet on whether they will be charged with any crimes for this stunt. Other companies should think carefully about hiring these people. They chose to be activists so let them live on whatever salary that brings them.
