In a bold act of protest, the Dutch branch of the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion has claimed responsibility for an acid attack on a Microsoft-affiliated datacenter project in Amsterdam. The incident occurred on July 16, 2026, when activists threw water balloons filled with a corrosive mixture at the construction site.
Details of the Attack
The activists used a combination of hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, salt, and acrylic paint, aiming to damage the concrete and accelerate the corrosion of the steel reinforcements. Martijn Dekker, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, stated that the attack was a necessary measure to combat what they perceive as the exacerbation of the climate crisis by datacenters and the artificial intelligence they support.
Project Background
The datacenter in question is being developed by Pure Data Centres Group, a UK-based company. Once completed, the facility will feature three towers, each 85 meters tall, with a total capacity of 78 MW. Although the project is reportedly fully leased, local media have indicated that Microsoft is the primary tenant. Amsterdam has imposed restrictions on new hyperscale datacenters, but this project was designed to remain below the threshold for such classification.
Activist Justifications
Extinction Rebellion criticized the necessity of such datacenters, arguing that they primarily serve AI applications that lead to job losses and the appropriation of artistic work for AI-generated content. Dekker emphasized the need to resist what they view as the anti-democratic power of the wealthy elite, stating, “Stopping the construction of this data center is a necessary step in that regard.” The group has expressed intentions to carry out similar actions against other datacenter projects.
Response from Pure Data Centres
Following the attack, Pure DC confirmed that balloons were thrown at the site but did not specify their contents. The company stated that the incident did not impact construction and indicated plans to pursue legal action against those responsible. As of now, it remains unclear what long-term effects, if any, this protest will have on the datacenter project or on broader regulatory discussions regarding datacenter development in the region.
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