Photo: YANIS DEPLAZES / AFP / Getty Images
Hundreds of protesters stormed a Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam on Friday (November 6), leading to clashes with police and the detention of up to 200 people. Protesters, including members of activist group Geef Tegengas, said they intended to occupy the site to prevent the construction from proceeding.
Demonstrators broke into the site, some climbing cranes and setting off flares, while others confronted police. Some protesters broke through fences while hundreds more remained outside. Protesters held signs highlighting concerns about water consumption, energy use, and the impact on local infrastructure.
Earlier in the day, police stopped a march toward the site, after the mayor banned the demonstration.
Dutch police reported that between 150 and 200 people were detained for trespassing.
A spokesperson for Geef Tegengas told local broadcaster AT5 the protest aimed to stop the project, which they claim would use as much electricity as all homes in Amsterdam combined, and slow the building of 30,000 new homes.
Microsoft responded that it respects the right to peaceful protest but does not condone any unlawful actions. Pure Data Centers, which owns the site, asked demonstrators to leave safely and engage in dialogue about their concerns.
Protest actions are expected to continue over the weekend as activists demand a moratorium on new large-scale data centers until governments introduce stricter regulations. The protest in Amsterdam was one of up to 85 actions planned across Europe on Friday and Saturday.