In an unprecedented move, Google employees have staged a sit-in at the California office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. These protests are part of a larger, organized effort by a group named “No Tech for Apartheid,” advocating for the termination of Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract between Google, Amazon, and the Israeli government, which also involves the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
The protesters, livestreaming their occupation via Twitch under the title “notech4apartheid,” have adorned themselves with keffiyehs—a symbol of Palestinian nationalism—and positioned themselves within Kurian’s office. Their demands are clear: end Google’s involvement with the Israeli military and address what they call a “health and safety crisis” among workers distressed by their involvement in these contracts.
Parallel demonstrations were also held in Google’s New York City office, where employees brandished anti-Israel signs and chanted provocative questions aimed at Kurian about the moral implications of Google’s business decisions. The internal tension has been fueled by allegations of misinformation about Project Nimbus within Google, with claims that it aids military operations and surveillance tactics that some employees equate with war crimes.
Further complicating the situation are reports of anti-Semitic incidents within Google, such as hateful graffiti and physical assaults against Jewish employees, suggesting a deeply polarized workforce. This unrest comes amid a backdrop of broader tech industry debates over the ethics of large-scale government contracts, especially those involving military and surveillance applications.
Kate Sim, a prominent figure in the protest, circulated an email accusing Google executives of lying about the intentions and uses of Project Nimbus. She, along with others, alleges that Google’s technologies are being used to perpetuate violence and oppression, directly contradicting the company’s public commitment to democratic values and ethical practices.
