Redmond police arrested 18 protesters, including Microsoft employees, at the company’s campus on August 20 after a demonstration turned chaotic.
The protesters, linked to the activist group No Azure for Apartheid, accused Microsoft of enabling Israel’s military operations through its Azure and AI services. They poured red paint over a Microsoft sign, blocked a pedestrian bridge with stolen tables and chairs from local vendors, and resisted police orders to disperse.
Police confirmed charges of trespassing, malicious mischief, resisting arrest, and obstruction, though no injuries were reported.
Microsoft condemned the vandalism, stating:
“The group returned and engaged in vandalism and property damage. They disrupted and harassed small businesses during a farmers’ market.”
The company also reiterated its stance, saying it had “found no evidence” that its technologies were used to harm civilians in Gaza, and reaffirmed its commitment to human rights standards.
The arrests mark the latest flashpoint in U.S. tech worker protests against corporate contracts linked to global conflicts.
