"Cut Your Ties With Israel": Meet Vaniya Agrawal, Microsoft Employee Who Disrupted CEO's Speech
Vaniya Agrawal, a software engineer at Microsoft, made headlines last week when she interrupted a panel discussion featuring CEO Satya Nadella and former Microsoft leaders Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer during the company’s 50th anniversary event.
Agrawal’s protest came as part of her public stance against Microsoft’s alleged ties to Israel, particularly about its involvement in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
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During the event in Redmond, Washington, on April 3, Agrawal stood up and called out the Microsoft leaders, shouting, “Shame on you all. You’re all hypocrites.”
She continued, “50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you? Shame on all of you for celebrating in their blood. Cut ties with Israel.”
The dramatic protest quickly drew attention, and Agrawal was escorted out by security. Online footage of the incident revealed some mixed reactions, with certain employees booing during the outburst.
Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event in Washington on March 4 was disrupted by two employees protesting the company’s alleged involvement with the Israeli military using AI Vaniya Agrawal publicly confronted Gates, Ballmer, and Nadella, accusing Microsoft of enabling genocide in Gaza pic.twitter.com/IppiQQmF25
— MBP (@MbPyarejan) April 7, 2025
In the aftermath of her public confrontation, Agrawal sent an internal resignation email to all Microsoft employees.
In the email, she introduced herself and explained the reasons behind her decision to leave the company after 1.5 years as a software engineer. Her last day at Microsoft is set for April 11, 2025.
Vaniya Agrawal elaborated on her views regarding Microsoft’s alleged involvement in the Gaza conflict, which she claimed was facilitated by the company’s technology.
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She also referenced her involvement with the “No Azure for Apartheid” campaign, which calls for Microsoft to sever its ties with Israeli institutions.
The protest was part of a broader effort by activists within and outside of Microsoft, including another protester, Ibtihal Aboussad, who also interrupted a speech earlier during the event, demanding accountability from the company’s leadership.
Here’s why I disrupted Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, and Steve Ballmer: https://t.co/WlPlJ4moXi https://t.co/uIcf3DbdaX
— Vaniya Agrawal (@vaniya_agrawal) April 7, 2025
Ibtihal’s stand is an inspiration to us all. Her message echoes across the globe: Big tech companies’ ties to the military-industrial complex run long and deep. It’s time for us all to stand behind her and call these tech giants what they are: WEAPON MANUFACTURERS. https://t.co/JaGYfc6SXL
— Vaniya Agrawal (@vaniya_agrawal) April 6, 2025
