By Fedir Kryshtovskyi
Publication Date: 2026-11-06 18:46:00
More than 100 activists entered the construction site of a Microsoft data center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on Friday. Participants in the action climbed cranes and hung balloons, while police were present at the site, Deutsche Welle reports.
Demand to suspend construction
The action in Amsterdam opened two days of planned protests in 16 countries. The Stop Dirty Data Centres coalition is demanding a pause in the large-scale construction of data centers for artificial intelligence until governments establish clearer rules for such projects.
Activists say that data centers place strain on electricity grids and water supplies, compete for resources with the housing sector and other businesses, and jeopardize climate goals. They also express concerns about possible job losses and the concentration of influence in technology companies. At the same time, the coalition is not calling for…