Microsoft has increased security at its Australian offices following a wave of Pro-Palestinian protests targeting the tech giant, including demonstrations inside its US headquarters.

Sources told ChannelNews that Microsoft’s Australian management has taken precautionary steps after recent protests in North Sydney and across the country.

NSW Police are also understood to be monitoring the local situation and the risk of protests at Microsoft offices locally.

The escalation follows an incident at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters, where protesters — including two company employees — gained access to a building and staged a sit-in inside the office of president Brad Smith. Police later arrested the group after they refused to leave.

Before their removal, the protesters reportedly hid mobile phones under furniture to secretly record the meeting space.

Microsoft president Brad Smith delivers a press briefing from his office after the demonstration.

“When seven folks storm a building, occupy an office, lock other people out, and plant listening devices — that’s not okay,” Smith said during a briefing.

Demonstrators have demanded Microsoft cut ties with the Israeli government and military. Their actions follow a report by The Guardian alleging Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform was being used for surveillance of Palestinians — claims the company has rejected.

Smith said Microsoft remains “committed to ensuring its human rights principles and contractual terms of service are upheld in the Middle East” and confirmed an internal investigation is underway.

Beyond the Redmond incident, protests have expanded to executives’ private residences. Over the weekend, activists in kayaks staged a demonstration outside the waterfront homes of CEO Satya Nadella and Smith on Lake Washington, accusing the company of profiting from Israel’s war in Gaza.

Microsoft has asked the FBI and local US police for support in responding to the growing wave of Gaza-related employee-led protests.

Microsoft Australia declined to comment.