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Protesters break into Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam

Dutch police say they detained 150-200 people suspected of trespassing, as campaigners hold two days of protests against data centers across Europe.

10 news outlets reported this
Liberal5 outletsa spreading European backlash against AI data centresCenter3 outletswhat happened on site and the campaigners' demandsConservative2 outletsPro-Palestinian slogans and a wider data center backlash
Published 3 min read
Overview

Protesters entered a Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam on Friday. Some climbed a crane and set off flares, and some clashed with police. Nathan Timmer of the Dutch group Geef Tegengas, which means Push Back, told the local broadcaster AT5 that the occupation aimed to halt the building work.

Al Jazeera reports that Dutch police detained 150-200 people on suspicion of trespassing. The Guardian reports that police told the Dutch broadcaster NOS an officer was slightly injured. Microsoft said it respects people's right to express views peacefully but does not condone unlawful actions.

A spokesperson for the site owner, Pure Data Centres, said going onto a live construction site was unlawful and dangerous and asked protesters to leave safely. The break-in came on the first of two days of protests against data centers in several European countries. Smaller protests took place in Berlin and outside the Polish parliament in Warsaw.

According to The Guardian, the Stop Dirty Data Centres coalition said it had not coordinated the Amsterdam action, and its affiliated members stayed outside the fence.

Key figures
  • 150-200 people detained on suspicion of trespassing, per Dutch police — Al Jazeera English
  • more than $1 billion investment Pure Data Centres plans in the project — Deutsche Welle
  • approximately 85 metres height of the three planned towers, per Euronews — Euronews
  • 40 out of 41 US data center moratoriums or restrictions passed in the midterms, per Breitbart — Breitbart News

Three sides of the story

Liberal5 outlets

a spreading European backlash against AI data centres

Al Jazeera English opens with the break-in as "the latest action in a growing movement sweeping Europe" and quotes Geef Tegengas' Nathan Timmer saying "Nobody needs it." It adds the Dutch police count of 150-200 people detained on suspicion of trespassing. The Guardian says the backlash to the "social and environmental harms of the AI boom" is spreading.

It carries the police statement to NOS that force was used and an officer was slightly injured, and the coalition's line that it had not coordinated the break-in. Activist Roos Molenaar says the data center is "gulping up our drinking water." ABC News runs the AP wire report, which ties the protest to the US midterm elections and quotes coordinator Owen Espley on a "gulf" between elected leaders and the public.

Business Insider's headline calls the protesters "anti-AI" and says Geef Tegengas stated it organized the action. It notes the group also targeted the site in June, temporarily halting work.

Center3 outlets

what happened on site and the campaigners' demands

Deutsche Welle leads with protesters climbing cranes and hanging balloons "while police stood by," then explains why campaigners oppose data centers. It quotes protester Sam van der Beek, says Pure Data Centres plans to invest more than $1 billion, and reports the coalition is not calling for existing data centers to close but wants clearer rules before more large-scale construction. Euronews headlines the protesters as storming the site.

It says around 100 entered, though organisers claimed several hundred, that activists cut an opening in the fence, and that the mayor ordered the demonstration to end before riot officers intervened. It describes three towers about 85 metres high and says a protesters' claim about electricity use "has not been independently established." Courthouse News carries the AP wire report, which quotes Timmer and Microsoft's statement and places the protest within Europe-wide actions against data centers.

Conservative2 outlets

Pro-Palestinian slogans and a wider data center backlash

Breitbart News builds its headline around protesters chanting "Free Palestine." It says at least 100 broke in on Friday morning, flew a "Fuck AI" banner and used "leftist slogans." It cites Reuters for the figure of around 100 protesters on the site.

It says some protesters reportedly scaled a crane to show the banner, and that others unfurled a "Microsoft powers genocide" banner. Citing The Verge, it says members of Geef Tegengas co-organized the protest. It notes that Amsterdam banned additional data centers until 2030.

It also says Microsoft will reportedly be the facility's sole tenant, with construction continuing under plans from 2016. Breitbart links the protest to American voters, reporting that 40 of 41 data center moratoriums or restrictions passed in the midterms. It also recalls protests by Microsoft employees last year, including 18 arrests at the company's anniversary party.

The Washington Times headlines the break-in as Europe's backlash spreading. Its report says some protesters climbed a crane and set off flares, while others clashed with police.

Where outlets disagree
  • Number of countries in the two days of protests
    • ABC News: events in 15 European countries, per organizers
    • Deutsche Welle: two days of planned protests in 16 countries
All sources: 13 articles from 10 outlets

Liberal (8)

Center (3)

Conservative (2)

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