Campaigners announce Edinburgh mass march against AI data centres
March to Scottish Parliament planned
Campaigners have announced a mass march against AI data centres in Edinburgh on Saturday, November 14.
Thousands of people are expected to join in the march from the top of the Royal Mile to the Scottish Parliament, including community campaigners who are affected by data centre proposals, as well as climate and anti-poverty charities.
The march is part of a Europe wide wave of protests to “stop dirty data centres” with other actions in Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland and many other countries earlier in the month.
The Edinburgh protest will also coincide with a global day of action around the UN climate talks COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, and comes after a similar protest at the Scottish Parliament in September, see video above.
Over 20 proposals for huge, ‘hyperscale’ AI data centres have been submitted by big tech developers in Scotland, with grassroots community campaigns opposing them formed in response.
Charities are demanding that the Scottish Government publicly consult on these plans for AI data centres before making decisions to approve them, in a “national conversation“where people across Scotland can have their say.
The march is being organised by a coalition of groups including Friends of the Earth Scotland, Action to Protect Rural Scotland and numerous local campaign groups protesting data centres.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Caroline Rance said: “We will be marching to demand that the people of Scotland can have their say on these monstrous AI data centres. Big Tech billionaires have set their sights on Scotland as their next AI data centre hotspot but we still have time to stop them.
“The huge data centres being proposed would crowd out communities, double Scotland’s electricity demand and make our energy bills more expensive, as well as destroying our natural environment and using thousands of tonnes of critical minerals.
“We need a public conversation about the need for AI and monster data centres. The Scottish Government should be led by what the people of Scotland think about these proposals, and not the profits of big tech developers. That’s why we’re marching to demand a proper public consultation on these AI data centre plans before any decisions to build them are made.”
Protesters are encouraged to assemble at 11:30am at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh on November 14, with the march heading down towards Holyrood at 12pm, after which there will be a rally outside the Scottish Parliament.
Sarah Finlay, a community campaigner with West Edinburgh Against AI Data Centres, said:“We’re parents, neighbours and ordinary people who care about where we live and the future of Scotland.
“What started as a local fight for us in West Edinburgh has become a nationwide movement against US tech billionaires. We cannot allow them to dictate the future of our countryside and our communities, they do not bring the benefits that many developers, tech firms and Donald Trump would lead us to believe.
“We are asking the Scottish Government to stand shoulder to shoulder with us and not let this happen. Big tech, go hame tae think again!”