More than 100 activists broke into the Microsoft data centre construction site in Amsterdam on Friday, scaling an 85-metre crane, setting off flares, and securing banners objecting to the tech giant’s military ties, The Guardian reported. The direct action, which saw police use force and detain up to 200 people, is the latest flashpoint in a Europe-wide revolt against the energy-hungry AI infrastructure boom.
Amsterdam Site at Eye of a Global Storm
The Amsterdam occupation, led by the Dutch group Geef Tegengas (Push Back), targeted the Westpoort site where Microsoft is building a three-building complex that will consume as much electricity as every household in the city combined, according to local activists. Protesters claim the facility’s power draw will derail the construction of 30,000 planned local homes in a region already straining its energy grid.
The breach followed a coordinated pan-European protest across 15 countries, with demonstrations also reported in Berlin, Warsaw, and Zagreb. While the Amsterdam break-in was separate from the larger “Stop Dirty Data Centres” coalition, which organized a peaceful rally outside the perimeter, the actions share a common root: a deep-seated frustration that governments and big tech are racing to build data centres without meaningful public consent or environmental scrutiny.
“We don’t want it to be built. Nobody needs it,” Nathan Timmer of Geef Tegengas told local broadcaster AT5. “The only thing this will be used for is AI slop. AI warfare, data surveillance and committing genocide.” This sentiment was echoed by Roos Molenaar, who framed the struggle as inseparable from fights against oppression and resource depletion. “This datacentre is gulping up our drinking water to make the rich even richer,” Molenaar said.
A Political Football in the AI Race
In the U.S. midterm elections last week, nearly every proposed moratorium on data centres on local ballots was approved, reflecting a sharp public turn against unchecked expansion. Now, that sentiment is crossing the Atlantic, forcing European leaders to balance economic ambitions with public anxiety.
“With governments failing to answer very basic questions about how many datacenters we need, what for, where, and how pollution will be avoided, the only reasonable course of action is an immediate moratorium,” said Owen Espley, campaign coordinator for Stop Dirty Data Centres. The coalition, which includes national branches of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, argues that the current pace of development threatens local communities, natural resources, and other industries.
The European Commission’s top digital official, Henna Virkkunen, acknowledged the continent’s conflicting goals. “Europe needs more data centers to support AI development, but construction must proceed prudently,” she stated, adding that the public must be assured that electricity bills won’t skyrocket and that projects won’t harm the environment. This tension is playing out on the ground: while the UK government has pinned its growth strategy on AI and more data centres, Portugal and Italy are tightening environmental regulations for new facilities.
Police Clash with Climate Activists
In Amsterdam, the clashes were not without consequence. Police reported an officer was slightly injured, while activists alleged officers used excessive force, including tear gas, to disperse the crowd.
Data centres require massive amounts of water and energy for cooling, a fact that has alarmed climate scientists. The Amsterdam protest comes just months after Extinction Rebellion targeted the same site with balloons filled with an acidic mixture, highlighting the movement's escalating tactics as it argues its warnings have been ignored.
Microsoft, for its part, has condemned the unlawful actions while attempting to acknowledge the concerns. “We understand that people feel strongly about the project, and we respect their right to express those views peacefully,” a spokesperson said. “However, we do not condone any actions that are unlawful or that put people’s safety at risk.” The site’s owner, Pure Data Centres, echoed this sentiment, calling for dialogue while stressing the dangers of occupying a live construction site.
Europe’s Contradictory Path Forward
As the dust settles in Amsterdam, the broader conflict remains unresolved. The “Stop Dirty Data Centres” coalition insists it is not against technological progress but demands a pause on new large-scale projects until clear regulatory frameworks are established. This call is resonating in cities and towns across Europe, where communities are pushing back against developments they see as imposed from above.
The path ahead is fraught with contradiction. Europe simultaneously seeks to compete in the global AI race with the U.S. and China while trying to maintain strict environmental and social protections.
Further actions are planned for Saturday, including a family event in Devon, England, to highlight a proposed 1.5 GW data campus on farmland.
