National Data Center Protest to Include South Carolina Events
A national data center protest, organized by Humans First, is scheduled for July 18 at over 50 sites, including Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The protests aim to pressure officials to address concerns about rising utility costs, water demand, noise, land-use changes, and national security risks associated with rapid AI expansion.
A national day of protest against the proliferation of data centers, organized by the conservative advocacy group Humans First, is set to occur on July 18 at over 50 sites across the country. In South Carolina, one of the two designated gathering spots for the demonstration is Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, with participants expected to walk across the nearby Ravenel Bridge. Another protest is planned for Chester County, though details are pending.
The protests are intended to pressure local, state, and federal officials to protect communities from a range of issues associated with rapid data center expansion, including rising utility costs, increased water demand, noise pollution, land-use changes, and perceived national security risks tied to the artificial intelligence revolution.
Amy Kremer, chair of Humans First, stated that the group is staging the protests because "elected officials are not listening to the American people." The article notes that numerous data centers are under construction or planned across South Carolina by companies like Google and Meta Platforms, and mentions a recent project in rural Marion County that was canceled due to local complaints about tax breaks.