Apple’s software engineer chief Craig Federighi was making opening remarks at the WWDC event on Tuesday, when a man claiming to be the company’s employee interrupted his speech.
A man claiming to be an Apple employee suddenly walked onto the stage, unzipped his jacket, and revealed a keffiyeh — a cloth which is often used to showcase support for Palestine. While on stage, the protestor loudly declared that he works at Apple.
Videos of the disruption quickly spread on social media, with many users on X calling it one of the most daring interruptions ever seen at a WWDC event.
Security swiftly stepped in and escorted the man off the stage. Federighi, however, didn’t stop and carried on with his speech.
Apple has not made any official comment yet, but the incident could prompt a fresh look at security protocols for the tech giant’s major events.
A similar scene recently played out at a Microsoft conference, where a protester interrupted CEO Satya Nadella with pro-Palestine messages.
Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-American software engineer, interrupted the event to accuse the tech company of contributing to violence in Gaza through its technology.
“Fifty thousand Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood,” she said loudly before security personnel escorted her out.
Protests at company events put spotlight on rising employee activism
The protest at Apple’s WWDC reflects a rising wave of pressure on big tech firms to confront global ethical issues. Similar to what happened at Microsoft’s Build conference, where an employee publicly challenged company decisions, this kind of activism is now appearing at Apple’s high-profile events too.
Experts have suggested in the past that tech companies should be ready for such disruptions, whether on stage or during live streams, as employees and activists are increasingly using these platforms to voice their concerns.