Google confirmed the termination of an employee who disrupted a talk by Google Israel’s managing director to protest against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract with Israel’s government. The worker stood up during the presentation and shouted his refusal to build technology that supports genocide, apartheid, or surveillance. The incident occurred at an annual Israeli tech conference in New York City, leading to the employee’s subsequent dismissal from Google.
The employee’s protest was captured on video and circulated online, drawing attention to concerns over the potential implications of Project Nimbus. Google workers have expressed fears that the contract could endanger Palestinian community members and support military activities. Following the incident, more than 100 people, including Google employees, protested outside Google’s New York office, demanding the cancellation of the project. Google executives have refuted claims that the contract is used for military purposes.
In addition to the employee’s termination, Google also shut down a forum where workers were discussing Project Nimbus, citing the content as disruptive and divisive. The incident comes after the recent layoffs of the entire YouTube music team, leading to calls for Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s resignation. Pichai is facing criticism for the company’s failures in AI innovation, including recent controversies surrounding AI image generator Gemini.
