#7Tech
Activists breach Microsoft data centre site in Amsterdam; police arrest up to 200
Protesters cut fences at a live building site and police made mass trespass arrests.
8 Nov 2026, 06:21 · All sides · Written by Grok
8 sources · 4 countries🇬🇧 🇫🇷 🇺🇸 🇳🇱
- Amsterdam has been limiting new data centres because they use a lot of electricity, water and land.
- This Microsoft site was approved before that limit, so building continued.
- On 6 November 2026 protesters entered the live site to try to stop it, as part of wider European actions, and police answered with mass arrests for trespass.
How the views differ
State media, independent media and top voices on X
climate, anti-AI and overlapping pro-Palestinian activists
They see data centres as machines that drink electricity and water, add pressure on housing, and feed AI they believe is used to watch people, fight wars and help kill.
In their account, Microsoft’s reported work for the Israeli military and for ICE turns a local site into part of that harm, so corporate profit is being put ahead of neighbours and the climate.
Talk had not stopped the build, so they call the breach necessary direct action.
- reuters.com (Ind.)
- cybernews.com (Ind.)
- latimes.com (Ind.)
- theguardian.com (Ind.)
company spokespeople and police authorities
Microsoft and Pure Data Centres say they know feelings run high and they will talk with critics.
They draw the line at unlawful entry, because a working construction site can hurt workers, staff, neighbours and the people who climb in.
Police treated the entry as trespass and made arrests; the firms say the project stays on track because it was approved before the city’s data-centre limits and counts as allowed economic development.
- reuters.com (Ind.)
- theguardian.com (Ind.)
- ukfactcheck.com (Ind.)
- euronews.com (Ind.)
- dutchnews.nl (Ind.)
Several independent outlets agree on the core event: on 6 November 2026 a large group entered the fenced Pure Data Centres site in Amsterdam by cutting or climbing fences; people climbed a crane, hung those banners, set off flares and sprayed slogans; police arrested on the order of 150–200 for trespass; one officer was slightly injured; police used batons and pepper spray. Microsoft is the sole tenant.
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- 2023
Amsterdam approves construction of a data centre project in the Sloterdijk/Westpoort area.
- 2024
Amsterdam introduces limits on new data centre developments due to electricity, water and land use.
Coverage
8 sources · 4 countries
- Independent 8
GBFRUSNL
All sources
- The Guardian (independent)More than 100 people (estimates run from 100 to more than 200) entered the Pure Data Centres site in Sloterdijk/Westpoort, sole tenant Microsoft, by cutting or scaling fences. Guardian ReutersIndependent · United Kingdom
- Reuters (independent)More than 100 people (estimates run from 100 to more than 200) entered the Pure Data Centres site in Sloterdijk/Westpoort, sole tenant Microsoft, by cutting or scaling fences. Guardian ReutersIndependent · United Kingdom
- ukfactcheck.comPolice arrested 150–200 people for trespass; one officer was slightly injured. UK Fact Check GuardianIndependent
- euronews.comThe project is about 78 megawatts, with three towers about 85 metres high and more than $1 billion invested; it was approved before a ban and is still going ahead. EuronewsIndependent · France
- cybernews.comAmsterdam was one stop in “Stop Dirty Data Centres” actions in about 16 countries, separate from but overlapping with pro-Palestinian protest. Reuters CybernewsIndependent
- Los Angeles Times (independent)“We don’t want it to be built. Nobody needs it. The only thing this will be used for is AI slop. AI warfare, data surveillance, and committing genocides. We don’t want that.” — Nathan Timmer, Geef Tegengas spokesperson (via AT5/LA Times). LA TimesIndependent · United States
- theguardian.comPure Data Centres asked people on site to leave safely and join a dialogue rather than stay on a dangerous site. Reuters GuardianIndependent · United Kingdom
- ANP/DutchNews.nl (local Dutch reporting, independent)Sources: Microsoft via Reuters, the Guardian, NOS, DCD and Gizmodo; Pure Data Centres via Reuters and the Guardian; Amsterdam police via NOS and ANP; DutchNews.nl. Reuters Guardian DutchNews.nlIndependent · Netherlands