Microsoft sacks employee for protesting at company’s 50th anniversary event

Microsoft

At the 50th anniversary celebration of Microsoft, an employee called the company a “war profiteer” and disrupted the event. According to a report by The Verge, Ibtihal Aboussad disrupted Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s speech. Now, Aboussad has been sacked, as per the report.

“Earlier today, you interrupted a speech by Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman during the Company’s 50th anniversary event in Redmond, Seattle, by yelling and finger-pointing at the CEO before a live audience of thousands of attendees, and making hostile, unprovoked, and highly inappropriate accusations against the CEO, the Company and Microsoft generally,” Microsoft told Aboussad in an email. The company further said that his conduct was aggressive.Aboussad worked for Microsoft Canada.

Microsoft told Aboussad that it is “also concerning that you have not apologized to the company, and in fact you have shown no remorse for the effect that your actions have had and will have.”

At the event — while Suleyman was addressing the audience — Aboussad shouted at the Microsoft AI CEO. “Shame on you. You are a war profiteer. Stop using AI for genocide. Stop using AI for genocide in our region. You have blood on your hands. All of Microsoft has blood on its hands. How dare you all celebrate when Microsoft is killing children. Shame on you all.”

Meanwhile, Vaniya Agrawal, another Microsoft employee, had disrupted the event where Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was in a panel discussion with Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. Agrawal had put in his resignation two just before the event on April 4. However, Microsoft has dismissed her as well during her two weeks’ notice.