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Dutch police detain nearly 200 at Microsoft data centre protest

Netherlands law enforcement arrested up to 200 people during a demonstration at a Microsoft data centre facility. Authorities said some detainees were suspected of theft and property damage at the site.

LSN Malaysia · 7 November 2026

Dutch police detain nearly 200 at Microsoft data centre protest

Dutch police conducted mass arrests at a Microsoft data centre following a large-scale protest, with authorities detaining approximately 200 individuals at the scene. The operation resulted in multiple criminal allegations against the demonstrators. Investigators reported recovering items believed to have been taken from the facility, while other detainees faced suspicion of causing damage to the property and its infrastructure. The protest underscores growing tensions surrounding technology infrastructure projects in the Netherlands, where public demonstrations have increasingly focused on concerns ranging from environmental impact to data privacy and resource consumption. Dutch law enforcement has not yet released detailed statements regarding the specific charges or next steps in the legal proceedings against those detained at the data centre protest.