Data centers face a stormy cloud as Amsterdam protesters storm the site ⚡

Protesters reportedly broke into an Amsterdam construction site for a Microsoft data center and clashed with police, according to the Associated Press on Friday. Dutch authorities said they detained 150-200 people for trespassing.

One protester told a local broadcaster they were trying to stop construction of the data center, AP reported. Microsoft was aware of the demonstration and responded through a spokesperson: “We understand that people feel strongly about the project, and we respect their right to express those views peacefully,” they said. “However, we do not condone any actions that are unlawful or that put people’s safety at risk.”

AP reported that a tougher regulatory environment in the US is expected to follow the recent midterm elections, which saw a wave of Democrats promising to clamp down on data centers. The facilities use large amounts of electricity and water.

Cointelegraph reported in September that the town of Plattsburgh, New York, held a public hearing to discuss a temporary land use moratorium for operations including AI data centers and crypto mining.

The protests came as Microsoft’s Amsterdam data center project became the focus of debate over the electricity and water consumed by the technology infrastructure.