Microsoft engineer fired following anti-Israel outburst at developer conference

Microsoft fired a staff member accused of interrupting a speech by the company’s CEO.

On Monday, now former Microsoft engineer Joe Lopez interrupted CEO Satya Nadella’s opening keynote at the company’s annual Build developer conference in Seattle before being removed by security. He said he’s upset that Microsoft supplies the Israeli military with Azure, the company’s cloud computing technology. Activists claim Israel uses the technology in its war against Hamas in Gaza, though Microsoft says this isn’t the case.

Lopez’s disruption was one of several at the four-day Build conference, which drew thousands of developers to the Seattle Convention Center. At least three executive presentations were disrupted, and Microsoft briefly cut audio during one live stream.

Why are activists upset with Microsoft?

Lopez later sent a company-wide email detailing his concerns.

“As one of the largest companies in the world, Microsoft has immeasurable power to do the right thing: demand an end to this senseless tragedy, or we will cease our technological support for Israel,” Lopez’ email read, which can be found on Medium. “If leadership continues to ignore this demand, I promise that it won’t go unnoticed. The world has already woken up to our complicity and is turning against us. The boycotts will increase and our image will continue to spiral into disrepair.”

The disruptions followed a morning protest where dozens of Microsoft workers rallied at Seattle’s Westlake Park. The demonstration was organized by No Azure for Apartheid, a group of current and former employees demanding that the company end any contracts connected to military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. The group also alleges that Microsoft has begun censoring internal communications by blocking emails that include terms such as “Palestine.”

According to No Azure for Apartheid, Lopez received a termination letter but has reportedly been unable to access it. 

In February, an investigation spearheaded by the Associated Press revealed that the Israeli military had used AI models developed by Microsoft to help identify targets for bombing campaigns. Although Microsoft did not win the contract with Israel in 2021, reports suggest the company has continued providing tools used in military and administrative operations.

Microsoft released a recent review stating that the company had found no evidence that its Azure cloud platform or AI technologies were used to target civilians in Gaza directly. However, this reassurance has failed to satisfy activists and employees. 

This is not the first time the tech company has faced employee backlash over its defense contracts. Microsoft fired other staff who disrupted its 50th anniversary celebration in April with similar pro-Palestinian protests.