Protesters broke into the construction site of a Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam on Friday, at the start of two days of rallies that are part of a growing global backlash over the rapid build-out of computing power needed for AI.

More than 100 activists gathered at the site, marching arm in arm before breaking in, climbing cranes and hanging balloons while police stood by. Some carried placards reading: “Screw your datacentre”.

The action was part of coordinated protests in 16 countries organised by the “Stop Dirty Data Centres” coalition.

“These data centres are destroying our world. It’s becoming uninhabitable because of all the resources they consume. That’s why we’re here today,” protester Sam van der Beek said.

Microsoft said it respected peaceful protest but did not condone unlawful actions. Site owner Pure Data Centres said it was committed to engagement with local stakeholders.

Campaigners say data centres pressure electricity and water supplies and threaten climate goals, while tech companies argue they are essential for AI and cloud computing.