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July 18 (Reuters) - Opponents of the rapid expansion of data centers staged 142 protests in 42 states on Saturday, in the first national effort to channel anger toward the expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure that has escalated over the past year and stirred up turmoil in the local political arena.

These protests are being coordinated by a grassroots group known as Humans First, co-founded by a former Tea Party leader, a conservative, anti-establishment network. The group's founder likened the growing opposition to data centers to the right-wing populist movement that emerged in 2009 in protest against what was then perceived as high taxes and government overreach.

The protesters organized a rally to express their rejection of what Humans First describes as the "unaccountable" expansion of data center construction, and what they consider an "unacceptable violation of our freedoms."

Towns and regions were at the forefront of those opposing data center projects, some of which received approvals despite residents' objections, and in some cases after local officials signed non-disclosure agreements with developers or under limited regulatory scrutiny.

As objections widen, politicians at both the local and federal levels are scrambling to address growing voter anger over concerns about rising electricity bills, depleted water resources, and worsening pollution.

Opposition to data centers is one of the few issues that enjoys opposition from Americans of different political orientations, as a Reuters/Ipsos poll in June showed that only about a third of Americans support the pace of data center construction in the United States.

Only 14 percent of participants expressed their willingness to support the establishment of a data center in their regions to serve the artificial intelligence projects of major technology companies such as Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's XAI.

The Data Center Alliance, the industry association and lobbying group, has not yet commented on the protests. The alliance previously told Reuters that data centers are committed to being responsible neighbors in the communities where they operate.

The demands put forward by the protest organizers from the concerned groups include transparency in the development process, protection of resources and environmental safety, and the provision of benefits to the local community such as the creation of well-paid union jobs and a means to hold developers accountable if they break their promises.