LATER TODAY, Thursday, August 28, the Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) will host a news conference by No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) at which fired Microsoft workers, No Azure for Apartheid organizers, and community members will speak about the arrests and firings that resulted from their participation in a sit-in at the office of Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, in which they demanded Microsoft cut its ties with Israel’s apartheid and genocide.
Speakers will also discuss Microsoft’s campaign of worker intimidation and retaliation within company platforms, and the company’s active role in Israel’s apartheid and genocide.
WHAT: Press conference to speak about the arrests and firings that resulted from their participation in a sit-in at the office of Brad Smith.
DATE: TODAY, Thursday, 8/28/2025
TIME: 3 PM (PT)
WHERE: CAIR-WA’s Office, 1511 3rd Ave, Suite 788. Seattle, WA, 98101 or via livestream using the following link: noaa.cc/press-conference
WHO: Anna Hattle & Riki Fameli, fired Microsoft worker and NOAA organizers who were arrested on 8/26; Nisreen Jaradat, current Microsoft worker and NOAA organizer; Hossam Nasr, Vaniya Agrawal, and Joe Lopez all fired Microsoft workers last October, this April and this May respectively and NOAA organizers who were arrested on 8/26; Ahmed, Palestinian tech worker and community supporter of NOAA who was arrested on 8/26; Cheyne Anderson, fired Google worker and former Microsoft worker who was arrested on 8/26; and others.
CONTACT: press@noazureforapartheid.com
BACKGROUND:
On Wednesday, August 27rd, Microsoft terminated two Microsoft workers —Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli— with the No Azure for Apartheid campaign who were among seven current and former Microsoft workers and community members who were arrested on August 26th for their participation in a sit-in at the office of Brad Smith, president of Microsoft. The sit-in at Smith’s office is the latest of targeted actions to pressure Microsoft and its executives to cut ties with Israel and the Israeli military and to protest Microsoft’s active role in Israel’s apartheid and genocide.
“We are here because Microsoft continues to provide Israel with the tools it needs to commit genocide while gaslighting and misdirecting its own workers about this reality. We are a few among thousands of workers who refuse to let their labor be used for the mass murder of Palestinians,” said Anna Hattle when asked about the ongoing series of escalations and protests that have taken place throughout the past week.
In describing his reasons for joining the sit-in, Riki Fameli shared: “Microsoft has dragged its feet at every opportunity to address the mass death that is directly enabled through their technological infrastructure. Our drastic action is a direct response to their drastic inaction in cutting ties with customers that have continually violated international law and Microsoft’s own human rights standards.”
The firings are in light of the Liberated Zone encampment on Microsoft’s campus last week where 20 protesters, including current and former Microsoft workers as well as community members, were brutalized and violently arrested for protesting Microsoft’s ongoing partnership with the Israeli government and military.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Katie Walker, Communications Director at CAIR-WA, kwalker@cair.com