As Project Blue data center construction starts near Tucson, protesters rally outside

Dozens of protesters gathered near the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, Arizona, to demonstrate against the ongoing construction of the "Project Blue" data center. Wearing red and holding "Not One Drop For Data" signs, demonstrators attempted to block construction vehicles from leaving the site, leading to intervention by Pima County sheriff's deputies. Protesters chanted "We respect the workers, we don’t respect the work," as deputies ensured safety and cleared the roadway. The protest highlights strong community opposition to the data center, which has been linked to Amazon Web Services and is being developed by Beale Infrastructure. Community meetings have been held, where representatives from Beale Infrastructure joined Tucson officials, including Mayor Regina Romero, to provide information about the project. The Tucson City Council is expected to vote on the project in August. The article also notes that federal agencies like DHS and ICE utilize Amazon Web Services for surveillance purposes, a point of concern for some residents.