More Than 100 Protesters Enter Microsoft Data Center Site in Amsterdam

Nov 6, 2026
More than 100 protesters entered a data center construction site in Amsterdam where Microsoft will be the sole tenant. Hundreds more demonstrated outside, and police arrested one person.

More than 100 protesters linked to Geef Tegengas broke into a data center construction site in Amsterdam, according to Data Center Dynamics. Hundreds more demonstrated peacefully across the street as part of wider protests against data centers in Europe.

The 78 MW facility belongs to Pure Data Centres, with Microsoft due to become its sole tenant. Activists cited Microsoft's work with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Israeli military, along with concerns about AI surveillance, climate change and water use. Amsterdam police arrested one person after the protest.

Geef Tegengas previously disrupted construction at the site in June. Extinction Rebellion activists also targeted it in July with balloons filled with acid and paint, though Pure Data Centres said construction was unaffected.

The project was approved before Amsterdam introduced a temporary moratorium in 2019 and before national restrictions took effect in 2022. It also falls below the floor area threshold covered by the national rules.

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