Google has reportedly fired a cloud engineer who interrupted Barak Regev, managing director of its Israel operations, during a speech at an Israeli technology event in New York. CNBC. “I am a Google software engineer and I refuse to build technology that enhances genocide and surveillance,” an engineer was seen and heard shouting. video The photo was taken by freelance journalist Caroline Haskins and went viral online. Despite being dragged around by security and jeers from the audience, he continued speaking and mentioned Project Nimbus. It's a $1.2 billion contract won by Google and Amazon to supply AI and other advanced technologies to the Israeli military.
Last year, a group of Google employees published an open letter condemning the “hate, abuse and retaliation” Arab, Muslim and Palestinian workers are subjected to at the company and calling on the company to cancel Project Nimbus. did. “Project Nimbus is putting Palestinian community members at risk! I refuse to build technology used for cloud apartheid,” the engineer said. After being removed from the venue, Regev told the audience:[p]”The art of privilege of working for a company that represents democratic values gives a platform to a variety of opinions,” he said, before being interrupted by a second protester who accused Google of being complicit in genocide. After making his accusations, he ended his speech.
A Google Cloud engineer just interrupted Google Israel Managing Director Barak Regev this morning at the Israeli technology industry conference MindTheTech in New York.
“I refuse to develop technology that promotes genocide!” he shouted, referring to Google's Project Nimbus deal. pic.twitter.com/vM9mMFlJRS
— Caroline Haskins (@car0linehaskins) March 4, 2024
The incident occurred during the MindTheTech conference in New York. This year's theme was clearly “Israel's Technology and Stand”, as investment in Israel slowed after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. Ms. Haskins wrote in detail about what she witnessed at the event, but was unable to stay until the event was over because she was chased away by security.
The Google engineer who interrupted the event said, “I want other Google Cloud engineers to know that this is what engineering is all about: standing in solidarity with the communities affected by your work.'' told. Although he spoke to journalists anonymously to avoid professional repercussions, Google clearly found out who he was. A Google spokesperson said: CNBC He was reportedly fired for “obstructing an official event sponsored by the company.” They also told the news outlet that “regardless of the issue, his behavior was not OK” and that “the employee was terminated for the violation.” [Google’s] policy. “
