Demonstrators Occupy Microsoft Data Centre Construction Site in Amsterdam Amid Wider European Protests

Hundreds of demonstrators broke into a Microsoft data centre construction site in Amsterdam on Friday, marking the latest escalation in a pan-European movement opposing the rapid expansion of energy and water-intensive computing facilities. Activists from the Dutch direct-action group Geef Tegengas stormed the site in the Sloterdijk district, with some participants climbing a crane, igniting flares and attaching helium balloons to machinery. Clashes ensued between the demonstrators and law enforcement officers.

Dutch police reported detaining between 150 and 200 individuals suspected of trespassing during the incident. Authorities stated that force was used to respond to the occupation, and local media noted that police also deployed teargas while attempting to prevent entry. According to police statements cited by broadcaster NOS, one officer sustained minor injuries during the confrontations. By late afternoon, officers were escorting remaining activists off the premises.

The demonstration coincided with a two-day series of protests organised across 15 European countries under the banner of the "Stop Dirty Data Centres" campaign, involving dozens of civil society and grassroots groups including national branches of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. While coalition organisers stated they did not coordinate the direct breach of the Amsterdam perimeter fence, they described the local actions as an understandable response to developments proceeding with limited public consultation and transparency.

Protesters and campaign organisers voiced concerns over the massive computing power and water resources consumed by data centres handling artificial intelligence workloads. In Amsterdam, demonstrators hung banners criticising Microsoft services and called for a halt to facility construction. Nathan Timmer of Geef Tegengas told local broadcaster AT5 that the group aimed to stop construction entirely, objecting to applications involving artificial intelligence workloads and surveillance. A spokesperson for Microsoft acknowledged awareness of the demonstration, stating that the company respects the right to peaceful expression while condemning unlawful actions that endanger safety.

Parallel demonstrations occurred outside the perimeter fence in Amsterdam and across other European cities. In Germany, a dozen protesters gathered outside a data centre near Berlin, while roughly 100 people assembled in front of the Polish parliament in Warsaw to protest planned facilities. Additional demonstrations took place in locations including Bristol, UK, and Zagreb, Croatia. Organisers indicated that further protests are scheduled to continue on Saturday.