Hundreds of people protesting the construction of a Microsoft data center in Amsterdam breached the construction site and clashed with Dutch police, with a number of arrests reported.
The demonstration was part of a broader campaign against energy-guzzling and water-intensive Big Tech infrastructure spanning a number of European countries.
As many as 500 activists entered the restricted area at around noon, according to the organizers, where they set off flares, sprayed graffiti, and climbed cranes and scaffolding to unfurl banners.
The activists demanded a halt to the construction of the 78-megawatt complex, which includes three data center towers and is being developed by Pure Data Centres for Microsoft.
Geef Tegengas cites concerns over the facility’s heavy electricity and water consumption and the negative consequences it would likely have for local residents.
Several hundred more people gathered outside the construction site as part of a separate demonstration organized by the Fossielvrij Nederland climate group.
Riot police soon swarmed the area, using chemical tear gas and batons to forcibly remove those refusing to vacate the construction site.
A number of people were detained for trespassing and bused away, according to local media. One of the officers sustained minor injuries in the scuffles, the authorities reported. The demonstration in the Dutch capital came as part of a pan-European protest campaign called ‘Stop Dirty Data Centers’.
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It unites more than 100 “civil society organizations and collectives deeply concerned about Europe’s technology trajectories and its plans to fast-track data centres,” with protests planned for November 6-7 in 16 countries, including Britain, Spain, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, and France.
The activists claim that the projects will compete with housing and local businesses for scarce water and electricity supplies. They also cite concerns over the risks that AI, powered by the data centers, could pose to the labor market and users’ mental health.
The Big Tech push to create more capacity for the booming AI industry in recent years has been met with growing suspicion and backlash globally.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2026.
