Protesters Storm Microsoft Data Center Site in Amsterdam
Activists detained across Europe demand a pause on construction as millions of dollars flow into new facilities.
By Tyler Khalil ·
Protesters breached the construction site of a new Microsoft data center in Amsterdam on Friday.
Members of the group Geef Tegengas, which translates to Push Back, climbed a crane and ignited flares inside the compound. They clashed with police as they attempted to occupy the grounds. Nathan Timmer, a member of the group, told local broadcaster AT5 that the occupation aimed to halt construction entirely. He stated that the facility was not needed and would primarily serve artificial intelligence applications, including what he called AI slop and data surveillance.
Dutch police reported detaining between 150 and 200 individuals suspected of trespassing by Friday evening. Officers escorted many activists off the site, though some remained on the premises, local media noted. Pro-Palestinian groups also joined the demonstrations in the Dutch capital.
The action in Amsterdam marks the latest escalation in a growing movement against data centers across the continent. Organizers for StopDirtyDataCentres.eu scheduled similar events in 15 European countries over the weekend. Participants included civil society groups and grassroots organizations from Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. The demonstrators seek a moratorium on large-scale developments to address social and environmental concerns related to energy consumption.
Owen Espley, coordinator for the European campaign, said there is a gap between elected leaders and public opinion regarding the rapid expansion of artificial infrastructure. In Germany, about a dozen protesters gathered near a data center on the edge of Berlin. Caro Weber, a protest spokeswoman, warned that the blind construction of these facilities poses a danger to the future. In Poland, approximately 100 people gathered outside the parliament to represent communities around Warsaw where new centers are planned.
Italy has seen a sharp rise in grassroots opposition, particularly in the Lombardy region, which serves as the country's main hub for digital infrastructure. On October 10, more than 1,000 people and representatives from 40 local committees met in Milan's Piazza della Scala for the nation's first national demonstration against data centers. Protesters there demanded a national strategy to govern the industry's growth and called for a pause on new projects.
Microsoft acknowledged the demonstration in Amsterdam. A spokesperson said the company respected the right to peaceful expression but did not condone actions that were unlawful or risky. According to PwC's Global Data Centre Outlook 2026-50, Europe is projected to attract $5.6 trillion in cumulative data center capital expenditure from 2026 through 2050. This figure represents about 18% of global investment, while the United States is forecast to see $15.1 trillion in spending over the same period.
