Protesters entered a Microsoft-leased data center construction site on the outskirts of Amsterdam on Friday, according to The Verge and Times of India^1,2.

The Verge said members of Geef Tegengas helped organize the action against three planned 85-meter towers and that protesters placed banners on the site, including one opposing AI, citing Reuters¹.

Times of India, citing a Reuters witness, said about 100 demonstrators entered the site as part of two days of coordinated protests against data centers in several European countries on Nov. 6 and 7².

A Geef Tegengas spokesperson told local broadcaster AT5 that about 500 people had entered and hundreds more remained outside, technology site TNW reported, according to Times of India².

Times of India said some demonstrators broke through a fence and others climbed a construction crane, and that riot police were deployed near Sloterdijk in Amsterdam's western port area and made several arrests².

Police had earlier halted the march as it approached the site, and the mayor then banned the demonstration, prompting protesters to try to break through barricades, Dutch news agency ANP reported via Times of India². Organizers accused police of disregarding the right to demonstrate, the paper said².

Amsterdam banned new data centers until 2030 after a temporary stop announced at the end of 2023, The Verge reported, but the Microsoft project is proceeding because it was planned as far back as 2016¹. Microsoft is to be the sole tenant; British developer Pure Data Centres is building the site, The Verge said¹.

Times of India said the provincial government approved the project in January and that critics argue it circumvents Dutch rules on very large data centers². Geef Tegengas says the facility would consume as much electricity as all Amsterdam households combined and could delay construction of 30,000 homes, according to that report². City officials have warned that grid constraints threaten plans for housing and schools, Times of India said².

The Verge placed Friday's action in a broader week of European data center protests, including a mock Israeli military checkpoint outside a Microsoft facility in Dublin on Tuesday¹. Microsoft did not have an on-record response in either article^1,2.