Protesters break into Microsoft data centre site in Amsterdam

Several hundred protesters entered a construction site for a Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam on Friday, seeking to stop the project. The action reflects growing opposition across Europe to data centres, which support cloud computing and artificial intelligence but require substantial computing power and water.

Police said they detained 150 to 200 people suspected of trespassing, and officers escorted protesters from the site later in the day; some had climbed a crane and set off flares. The demonstration was part of two days of “Stop Dirty Data Centres” events planned in 15 European countries, with smaller protests also reported in Germany and Poland. Activists say construction is advancing faster than public consultation and environmental oversight, while Microsoft said it respects peaceful protest but does not condone unlawful or unsafe actions.