Police intervene at protest against Microsoft data centre
About a hundred protesters tried to reach the construction site in Amsterdam, and the mayor banned the demonstration.
There is news on this story (Friday, 6 November 2026, 13:43): Activists enter Microsoft construction site in Amsterdam
Follow-up to: Protest against mega data centre near Amsterdam’s Sloterdijk Friday, 6 November 2026, 09:44
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Police and riot police intervened in Amsterdam on Friday during a protest against the construction of a large data centre for Microsoft. About a hundred protesters tried to reach the construction site on Plimsollweg; after the mayor banned the demonstration, protesters attempted to break through a police line.
According to Transport Online, the protesters gathered in the area around Sloterdijk on Friday morning. Transport Online, which reported from the scene, said the group changed direction when police and riot police units became visible along the route. According to the same report, the group was surrounded on Basisweg at around 11.00am. Police and riot police used batons to hold the protesters back.
At around 11.15am, the mayor banned the demonstration. After that, some protesters reportedly tried to break through the police line. Headlines in several media outlets also state that pepper spray was used. The publicly available reporting that could be checked for this article confirms the police intervention and the use of batons, but does not provide an independently detailed account of the use of pepper spray.
The Geef Tegengas campaign group wants to halt construction of the data centre. Organisations including Fossielvrij, DeGoedeZaak, Extinction Rebellion and Scientists for Future had announced the action. They link their opposition to data centres’ high energy use, pressure on the electricity grid and the question of whether new server locations deliver sufficient benefits to society.
The protest follows earlier actions at the same project. In June, dozens of activists occupied and blocked the construction site, while Extinction Rebellion later carried out a night-time action. The new development is that the mayor banned Friday’s demonstration and police physically held the group back.
Supporters of data centres point out that digital services, governments and businesses depend on them, and that the sector brings investment and jobs. Opponents believe scarce space and electricity capacity should instead go towards housing, public services and sustainability. The action mainly shows that the conflict over the location and consequences of data centres in the Netherlands is becoming increasingly entrenched; no details are yet known about any subsequent prosecutions or administrative proceedings.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Police intervened on 6 November at a protest near the construction site of a Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam.
- The mayor banned the demonstration while it was under way.
- The protesters opposed the construction because of concerns about energy use, space and societal benefits.
Left
Arguments The government should prioritise scarce electricity, space and public infrastructure for housing, public services and sustainability; commercial data centres must not dominate those choices.
Values Collective services, climate policy and democratic control over spatial development.
Consequences Without stricter limits, local burdens and energy problems could increase; strict policy could, however, delay investment and digital capacity.
Centre
Arguments Data centres are necessary, but new projects must demonstrably fit grid capacity, spatial plans and the public interest. Decisions must remain legally predictable and protests must stay within the law.
Values Proportionality, legal certainty and careful balancing of interests.
Consequences A transparent licensing policy could reduce the conflict, but it requires time and firm criteria that will not satisfy every party.
Right
Arguments The Netherlands needs digital infrastructure and must not drive companies away through blockades or constantly changing rules. People may demonstrate, but breaking through police lines undermines public order.
Values Economic growth, security, property rights and enforcement of the law.
Consequences Firm action could prevent further escalation, but could also strengthen the feeling that local concerns are not being heard sufficiently.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s central account is based on a report of events on 6 November and the public announcement of the demonstration. An uncertain detail about pepper spray is explicitly marked as not independently confirmed.
- confirmed About a hundred protesters tried to reach the construction site. — Transport Online reports about a hundred protesters at Plimsollweg. source
- confirmed The mayor banned the demonstration at around 11.15am. — The time and decision are stated in Transport Online’s report. source
- confirmed Police and riot police used batons. — This is mentioned in the report made at the scene. source
- confirmed The action had been announced in advance by several organisations. — Fossielvrij names Geef Tegengas, DeGoedeZaak, Leitmotiv, XR and Scientists for Future. source
Editor's note
The police intervention, the ban on the demonstration and the attempt to break through the police line have been confirmed. The reported use of pepper spray could not be independently substantiated in the public sources consulted.Sources
- Politie grijpt in bij protest tegen Microsoft-datacentrum in Amsterdam — Transport Online
- Supportdemo: Stop nieuwe datacenters — Fossielvrij
- Activists across Europe prepare two days of protests against datacentres — The Guardian
The story so far
- Friday, 6 November 2026, 09:44 Protest against mega data centre near Amsterdam’s Sloterdijk
- Friday, 6 November 2026, 12:45 Police intervene at protest against Microsoft data centre (this article)
- Friday, 6 November 2026, 13:43 Activists enter Microsoft construction site in Amsterdam
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „amsterdam sloterdijk”
- de Volkskrant — „amsterdam sloterdijk”
- RTL Nieuws — „amsterdam sloterdijk”