Protesters Disrupt Microsoft Data Center Construction in Amsterdam
Protesters broke into a Microsoft data center construction site on the outskirts of Amsterdam on Friday during an anti-AI demonstration. Images on social media show activists scaling fences and congregating inside the construction site. Some of them climbed a crane, unfurled a banner with an anti-AI message, and let off flares.
Geef Tegengas, a Dutch activist collective, claimed responsibility for the action on social media, stating that hundreds of its supporters were blocking the construction.
"We won't accept Amsterdam being used for the creation of AI slop and the facilitation of genocide," said Geef Tegengas spokesperson Roos Molenaar in a statement. "This data center is gulping up our drinking water to make the rich even richer."
A Microsoft spokesperson acknowledged the "demonstration" at the Westpoort Amsterdam site:
“We understand that people feel strongly about the project, and we respect their right to express those views peacefully. However, we do not condone any actions that are unlawful or that put people's safety at risk. The wellbeing of everyone at and around the site, including workers, staff, and neighbors, is our first concern.”
The protests highlight growing backlash against data centers, which have become symbolic of people's fears of AI and its environmental impact. These concerns played a significant role in the US midterm elections and were widely rejected at the ballot box due to worries about power bills, water use, and other local community impacts.
Geef Tegengas expressed concerns about the Microsoft project straining the power grid during a housing shortage and giving the tech company excessive control over data and information flow. The group also objected to Microsoft's technology being used for surveillance and military operations.
A video shared on X by Dutch journalist Tom Olthof shows protesters hanging banners opposing the project, while a separate demonstration took place across the road.
Current Situation: Activists have entered the site and hung banners with anti-Microsoft messages. Across the road, a demonstration in support of the action is ongoing. Police are concerned about potential chemical damage to the construction site and are currently not enforcing an evacuation.