Explained: Protesters break into Microsoft data center site in Amsterdam as Europe’s backlash spreads

Protesters broke into a Microsoft data center construction site in Amsterdam on Friday, with some climbing a crane and setting off flares while others clashed with police

Data center

A facility housing computer systems and equipment used for large-scale computing, including cloud and AI services

Moratorium

A temporary prohibition of an activity, in this case new data center construction

AI slop

A term used by a protester to describe low-value content or output generated by artificial intelligence

Capital expenditure (capex)

Funds used by a company to acquire or upgrade physical assets like buildings or equipment

Grassroots opposition

Organized resistance originating from local communities rather than top-down institutions