- Google fired 28 employees who protested against the company’s involvement in Project Nimbus, a cloud computing deal with Israel.
- The protests escalated tensions within Google, leading to disruptive sit-ins at offices in New York and Sunnyvale.
- Activists criticize Google’s actions, calling the firings a “flagrant act of retaliation” against employees exercising their right to protest.
Google made headlines after firing 28 employees who participated in protests against the company’s involvement in Project Nimbus, a significant cloud computing deal with the Israeli government. The protests, which occurred at Google’s offices in New York and Sunnyvale, resulted in disruptions and property damage, prompting the company to take action against those involved.
According to reports, the protesters occupied the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian and were forcibly removed by law enforcement. Google’s head of global security, Chris Rackow, issued a stern memo to all employees, emphasizing that such behavior violates company policies and will not be tolerated. The memo also warned against future protests, stating that the company takes employee conduct seriously and will take appropriate action to maintain workplace standards.
However, activists, including the group “No Tech for Apartheid,” condemned Google’s actions, labeling the firings as retaliation against employees exercising their right to protest. They argue that the protests were peaceful attempts to engage with the company about the ethical implications of the Nimbus project. The incident highlights the complex dynamics between employee activism, corporate policies, and ethical considerations in the tech industry.
