Riot police arrested several demonstrators after crowds breached fences and scaled a construction crane at the Dutch facility during coordinated international demonstrations. Protest organisers accused authorities of misconduct following an attempt by participants to push past police blockades. While regional authorities approved the massive three-building project early this year, critics stress that its power usage could equal that of all households across the city combined. This intensive electricity demand threatens to disrupt plans for local schools and tens of thousands of residential units.
Key points
The facility is projected to consume as much electricity as every household in Amsterdam…: The facility is projected to consume as much electricity as every household in Amsterdam combined.
Severe energy demands from the site could postpone the construction of local schools and…: Severe energy demands from the site could postpone the construction of local schools and roughly 30,000 homes.
The confrontation occurred as part of two days of coordinated European protests opposing…: The confrontation occurred as part of two days of coordinated European protests opposing data centre developments.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Protesters stormed a Microsoft data centre construction site on the outskirts of Amsterdam on Friday during a demonstration against the facility.
Around 100 demonstrators entered the site in the Netherlands' capital, according to a Reuters witness.
The demonstration was part of two days of coordinated protests against data centres scheduled across several European countries on November 6 and 7.
How the protest unfolded
A spokesperson for Geef Tegengas, an activist group campaigning against fossil fuels, told local broadcaster AT5 that around 500 people had entered the construction site, while hundreds more remained outside, technology website TNW reported.
Some demonstrators broke through a fence to gain entry, while others climbed a construction crane. Riot police were deployed to the site near Sloterdijk, in Amsterdam’s western port area, and made several arrests.
Earlier in the day, police had halted the march as it approached the site. The mayor subsequently banned the demonstration, prompting protesters to attempt to break through police barricades, Dutch news agency ANP reported.
The organisers also accused police of misconduct, alleging that the protesters' right to demonstrate had been…
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Demonstrators defied a municipal ban on Friday to infiltrate a massive construction facility near Sloterdijk, cutting through perimeter barriers and scaling equipment. Climate activists are targeting the site due to fears that the facility's immense energy consumption will overwhelm the regional power grid. The incident marks an escalation in ongoing European protests against large-scale tech infrastructure.