Google Sacks Over 20 More Employees For Anti-Israel Protest

Earlier reports indicated that a group of Google employees staged protests at the company's offices, leading to the arrest of nine individuals

Google has reportedly fired over 20 more employees following the termination of 28 last week due to sit-in demonstrations at the tech Giant's offices in New York and California, according to a report by The Verge. The protests were in opposition to Google's involvement in the $1.2 billion cloud computing venture with the Israeli government known as Project Nimbus. 

A spokesperson asserted in the report that Google had terminated "non-participating bystanders". Consequently, the total number of employees terminated for participating in protests has risen to nearly 50, as per the report.

Earlier reports indicated that a group of Google employees staged protests at the company's offices, leading to the arrest of nine individuals. In response, Google's head of security, Chris Rackow, circulated a memo condemning the demonstrations, stating, “This behaviour was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made coworkers feel threatened.” Rackow further noted that Google conducted an investigation into the incident and subsequently terminated the employment of 28 individuals.

“If you're one of the few tempted to think we're going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again,” he added.

In addition, Google CEO Sundar Pichai cautioned employees about the company's culture, emphasising the value of open debate and discussion while acknowledging the need for certain boundaries. He stated, "We foster a culture of lively, open discourse that empowers us to innovate and bring brilliant ideas to life. Preserving this ethos is crucial."

"This is a business and not a place to act in a way that disrupts coworkers or makes them feel unsafe, to attempt to use the company as a personal platform, or to fight over disruptive issues or debate politics,” he added. 

The tech giant reportedly laid off another set of employees last week. This move is part of the company's heightened efforts to reduce costs and marks the latest in a series of job cuts. A Google spokesperson informed Reuters that the layoffs are not across the entire company and reassured that affected employees will be given the chance to seek internal positions.