Edinburgh Rally Opposes Planned Construction of AI Data Centres

Thousands of demonstrators gathered at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and marched toward the Scottish Parliament to voice their opposition to large-scale AI data centres. Protesters expressed concerns over potential noise, pollution, massive electricity demands, and the broader environmental impact of these massive technological developments on local communities such as Cockenzie and Larbert. The protest coincides with a wider debate across Europe regarding the environmental footprint and energy consumption of artificial intelligence infrastructure. While the Scottish government is preparing new planning guidance and developing a strategy to maximize public benefit, campaigners and opposition groups have called for a moratorium on large data centres, arguing they threaten climate targets and strain renewable energy supplies.