Protesters storm Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam (VIDEOS)
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.
On Friday, members of the Geef Tegengas group, along with pro-Palestinian demonstrators, used angle grinders to cut through the fencing surrounding the site in the Sloterdijk district; others climbed it, as reported by Dutch media.
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.
Demonstranten hangen over de hekken terwijl er toespraken worden gehouden. Dat is de situatie op dit moment https://t.co/lUT4TlUwwr
— AT5 (@AT5) November 6, 2026
Several hundred more people gathered outside the construction site as part of a separate demonstration organized by the Fossielvrij Nederland climate group.
Palestinian flags were flown at the protest, with “Microsoft powers genocide” and “Free Palestine, F**k Microsoft” among the slogans. One of the activists told AT5: “energy-guzzling data centers are used for mass surveillance and violence. For instance, Microsoft hosts data from ICE and the IDF [Israel Defense Forces], among others.”
Riot police soon swarmed the area, using 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.
Microsoft said that while it understands the contentious nature of the project and respects people’s right to protest, “we do not condone actions that violate the law or endanger people’s safety.”
The demonstration in the Dutch capital came as part of a pan-European protest campaign called ‘Stop Dirty Data Centers’. 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 the UK, Spain, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, and France.
The campaigners call for an “immediate moratorium” on the construction of large-scale data centers in Europe “until social and environmental concerns are addressed.” 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.
In July, New York became the first US state to impose a moratorium on the construction of data centers using 50 megawatts or more. The issue also became a point of contention in several races during the US midterm elections.
Last month, hundreds of people protested outside a large-scale data center complex on the Indonesian island of Batam, accusing it of depriving them of drinking water, which the facility uses for its cooling system.
In September, civil rights groups in South Africa demanded a moratorium on the construction of data centers.
