Extinction Rebellion’s Dutch branch said it targeted a datacentre under construction in Amsterdam by throwing balloons containing an acidic mixture at its foundations. The group said the action was intended to damage concrete and speed corrosion in steel reinforcement, protesting the environmental impact of AI infrastructure and alleging wider social harms; the incident highlights escalating opposition to energy-intensive datacentre developments.

The facility is being developed by UK-based Pure Data Centres Group and is reportedly intended solely for Microsoft, although the company has not publicly named its tenant. It is planned as three 85-metre towers with 26MW of data halls each, totalling 78MW; Pure DC said construction was unaffected and it plans legal action, while Dutch media reported that Extinction Rebellion may target other projects.