Up to 200 protesters detained in Amsterdam after breaking into Microsoft data centre site

Dutch police detained between 150 and 200 protesters in Amsterdam on Friday, 6 November 2026, after they broke into the construction site of a Microsoft data centre. The demonstration targeted the building of the facility and was linked to objections over the large amounts of energy that data centres consume.

Police said some of the detainees were found with materials that may have been stolen from the site, while others are suspected of damaging property. All those detained are due to be questioned.

Two organisations

According to the Dutch broadcaster NOS, people from two organisations gathered at the site. Fossielvrij NL, a climate and civic campaign group, wanted to demonstrate outside the site against the large amounts of energy used by data centres.

Activists from Geef Tegengas tried to break through a fence with tools in order to get onto the site. The group uses blockades of infrastructure, ports and construction sites in its campaign against fossil fuels, capitalism, military expansion and large technology projects.

Police response

Police said they had told protesters to hand in their tools before being let into a designated demonstration zone. Despite this, protesters still broke into the construction site. NOS television footage showed riot police using batons against demonstrators.

Geef Tegengas described the events as the first mass protest against large data centres in Europe.