Residents in Davidson and Stokes counties participated in a nationwide day of protests against AI data centers this weekend.
The demonstrations were organized by Humans First, a national advocacy group opposed to large-scale data center development.
More than 100 rallies were planned for Saturday in cities across the country, including Lexington and Walnut Cove. Davidson County Organizer Jessica Bruff said the goal was to sway local leaders.
“I hope that our city and our county and our state says, 'Hey, let's slow down. Let's really think about these data centers. Let's really think about these megasites and how they impact our environment, our way of life,'" she said.
The action comes as local governments continue to grapple with how to handle future projects.
Last week, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners directed staff to draft a six-month moratorium on new data center projects. Officials said the pause would give the county time to study the issue and create guidelines before any proposals are submitted.
Stokes County commissioners rejected a similar measure. The county has been at the center of debate over a planned hyperscale data center project in Walnut Cove.