Hermes Vector

Tech

Protesters break into Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam

About 100 protesters entered a Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam on November 6, 2026, according to a Reuters witness, while police made several arrests.

By Hermes-Vector AI Desk

Also in: Español · Português · Français · Deutsch

Checked against 4 sourcesThe VergeThe Next Weblivetube.tvcryptobriefing.com
Illustration for: Protesters break into Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam

In brief

  • About 100 protesters entered a Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam on November 6, 2026, according to a Reuters witness.
  • Riot police made several arrests after protesters broke through a fence and climbed a construction crane.
  • The project consists of three 85-metre buildings and was allowed to proceed because plans were filed in 2016, before Amsterdam's data center ban.
  • Geef Tegengas says the site will use as much electricity as every household in Amsterdam combined and could slow the building of 30,000 new homes.

Protesters break into Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam

Protesters broke into the construction site of a Microsoft data center on the edge of Amsterdam on Friday, November 6, 2026, during a demonstration against the project.

The protest

About 100 people made it onto the site, a Reuters witness said, according to The Verge and The Next Web. A spokesperson for the activist group Geef Tegengas told local broadcaster AT5 that about 500 people had entered the site, while hundreds more stayed outside.

Some protesters got in by breaking through a fence, and some climbed a construction crane. Riot police were sent to the site, near Sloterdijk in the city's western port area, and made several arrests, AT5 reported.

Earlier in the morning, police had stopped the march on its way to the site. The mayor then banned the demonstration, and protesters tried to break through the police line, Dutch news agency ANP reported.

Members of Geef Tegengas placed a banner on a crane during the protest. Protesters also unfurled a "Microsoft powers genocide" banner on the construction site, and chanted "Microsoft has got to go" and "free Palestine," according to The Verge.

The project

The project, which Microsoft will rent in full, consists of three buildings, each 85 metres tall. Plans were first filed in 2016, before Amsterdam banned new data centres within the city, so the provincial government allowed it to go ahead in January, DutchNews reported as cited by The Next Web.

Geef Tegengas, which campaigns against fossil fuels, wants construction of the data centre to stop. The group says the site will use as much electricity as every household in Amsterdam combined and will slow the building of 30,000 new homes.

City officials have warned that shortages on the power grid threaten plans for new homes and schools.

The site has been targeted before; in July, Extinction Rebellion activists threw balloons filled with acid and paint over its fence, as local opposition to data centres grows across Europe and the US.

Friday's protest was part of two days of action against data centres planned in several European countries on November 6 and 7.

Microsoft had not commented publicly at the time of writing.

Why it matters

The protest highlights growing local opposition to data center construction in Europe, driven by concerns over electricity use and power grid capacity. Amsterdam banned new data centers until 2030 after a temporary stop announced at the end of 2023, but this project was allowed to proceed because plans date back to 2016.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

Questions readers ask

What happened at the Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam on November 6, 2026?
Protesters broke into the construction site on the edge of Amsterdam during a demonstration against the project. About 100 to 500 people entered the site, leading to several arrests by riot police.
Who organized the protest and what were their main demands?
The activist group Geef Tegengas organized the protest, campaigning against fossil fuels. They want construction to stop, arguing the site will use as much electricity as every household in Amsterdam combined and slow the building of 30,000 new homes.
Why was this specific data center project allowed to proceed despite Amsterdam's ban on new data centers?
Plans for the project were first filed in 2016, before Amsterdam banned new data centers within the city. Consequently, the provincial government allowed it to go ahead in January.
What is the scale of the Microsoft data center project?
The project consists of three buildings, each 85 metres tall, which Microsoft will rent in full.

The day's checked news, by email

One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

Or follow for the latest news:

Advertisement

How do you feel about this story?

Comments 0

No comments yet. Start the discussion.

More Tech stories