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About 100 protesters enter Microsoft data centre construction site in Amsterdam
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Around 100 protesters entered the construction site of a new Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam, with some climbing a crane to hang an anti-AI banner. The demonstration, organised with the Geef Tegengas group, adds to growing opposition to data centre expansion and to Microsoft’s role in technology that protesters say supports Israel’s military campaign.
The project involves three 85-metre towers, with Microsoft as the sole tenant. It is proceeding under plans dating to 2016, despite Amsterdam’s ban on new data centres until 2030; British developer Pure Data Centres navigated loopholes to bring the site to construction. The protest follows demonstrations at data centres in Dublin and elsewhere in Europe, amid broader opposition to data centre development and Microsoft’s recent decision to abandon a major UK project over delayed power supply.
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In short
- About 100 protesters entered Microsoft’s Amsterdam data centre site.
- The project includes three towers, each 85 metres tall.
- The demonstration reflects wider opposition to data centre expansion.
How this story developed
- 14 minutes ago The later account specified that the site is on Amsterdam’s outskirts and that the city’s 2024 ban on new data centres runs until 2030; it also noted local opposition in the US and said Microsoft had abandoned a major UK project the previous month over power delays.
- 27 minutes ago About 100 protesters entered the site of a planned Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam, where some climbed a crane to hang an anti-AI banner, amid concerns about data centre growth and the company’s links to Israel’s military campaign.
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The case for
Supporters of the project can argue that it is proceeding under plans approved in 2016 and that data centres provide infrastructure used by businesses and the public. They may also say that predictable planning rules matter: changing course after investment and construction have begun could undermine confidence in future development, while protest does not itself settle the merits of Microsoft’s work or the project’s local effects.
The case against
Opponents can argue that a project of this scale may place substantial demands on land, electricity and other local resources, so its costs and benefits deserve close scrutiny even if it predates the 2024 ban. They may view the route around that ban as frustrating the purpose of current policy, and see protest as a way to draw attention to concerns about data centre expansion and Microsoft’s activities connected, in their view, to the war in Gaza.
Coverage · 2 sources
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Originally published by The Verge as “Protesters break into Microsoft data center site in Amsterdam”.