More than 100 environmental and digital rights activists have broken into a Microsoft data centre construction site in Amsterdam, Netherlands, protesting the environmental impact of expanding infrastructure to power artificial intelligence.
The protesters entered the site on Friday, climbing cranes, hanging balloons and dancing as police monitored the demonstration. Some carried placards bearing messages opposing the construction of the facility.
The action marked the beginning of two days of demonstrations planned across 16 countries by activist groups campaigning against the rapid expansion of large-scale data centres.
The protests are being coordinated by the Stop Dirty Data Centres coalition, which brings together environmental organisations and digital rights campaigners calling for a halt to major data centre construction until governments establish clearer regulations.
Protester Sam van der Beek said the facilities were consuming resources at a rate that threatened the environment and the sustainability of communities.
“These data centres are destroying our world. It’s becoming uninhabitable because of all the resources they consume. That’s why we’re here today,” he said.
The site is owned by Pure Data Centres, which plans to invest more than $1bn in the project and is backed by Brookfield-owned Oaktree.
In response to the demonstration, Pure Data Centres urged the protesters to leave the site safely and offered to engage with local stakeholders over their concerns.
Microsoft said it understood that people had strong feelings about the project and respected their right to peaceful protest, but stressed that it did not condone unlawful actions.
The demonstrations are part of a growing international backlash against the expansion of data centres, which technology companies are building to meet rising demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Campaigners argue that the facilities place increasing pressure on electricity and water supplies, compete with households and businesses for limited resources and threaten environmental and climate targets.
They have also raised concerns about potential job losses and the security implications of allowing large technology companies to concentrate computing infrastructure and power.
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However, technology companies maintain that data centres are essential infrastructure for supporting AI development, cloud computing and the digital services used by businesses, governments and consumers.
The Stop Dirty Data Centres coalition has clarified that it is not opposed to technological progress or seeking the closure of existing facilities. Instead, it wants governments to introduce clearer rules on resource consumption and environmental safeguards before approving further large-scale construction.
Other planned demonstrations include a march in Dublin, a protest outside Poland’s parliament in Warsaw and a demonstration against another Microsoft data centre project in Denmark.
The resistance is also spreading beyond Europe, with opposition reported in countries including Spain, India and the United States.
In the US, concerns about the expansion of data centres have become increasingly political, with technology stocks falling on Thursday amid investor fears that Democratic gains in the midterm elections could lead to tougher regulations and delays to planned projects.
Europe faces a particularly difficult balance as it seeks to compete with the United States and Asia in artificial intelligence while maintaining its environmental protections and regulatory standards.
European Union technology chief Henna Virkkunen said on Thursday that the region needed more data centres to strengthen its AI capabilities but warned that expansion must not come at the expense of citizens and the environment.
She said Europeans needed assurance that data centre projects would not cause electricity shortages, drive up energy bills or damage the environment.
The concerns come as several European countries tighten oversight of data centre developments. A Google project in Finland is facing a criminal investigation over land clearance, while Italy and Portugal are strengthening environmental regulations for such facilities.
Microsoft has also withdrawn from a data centre project in the United Kingdom following infrastructure delays.
The Netherlands currently has about 200 data centres either planned, under construction or already operating, highlighting the scale of the country’s growing digital infrastructure.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
