Protesters force their way into COP30 summit venue, clash with security

Highlights:

• Indigenous protesters demand access to COP30 climate summit
• Indigenous leaders seek more influence in forest management talks
• UN says protesters caused minor damage

Dozens of Indigenous protesters forced their way into the COP30 climate summit venue on Tuesday and clashed with security guards at the entrance to demand climate action and forest protection.

Shouting angrily, protesters demanded access to the UN compound where thousands of delegates from countries around the world are attending this year's UN climate summit in the Amazon city of Belem, Brazil, says Reuters.

The demonstrators, many carrying banners and batons, forced their way through security barriers around 7:10pm pm local time, briefly breaching the main entrance before guards regrouped to form a human chain to push them back and used tables to barricade the entrance. A Reuters witness saw one security guard being rushed away in a wheelchair while clutching his stomach.

The Business Standard correspondent Shamsuddin Illius witnessed the incident. He said that a security guard was injured during the confrontation.

"We are dying because of environmental destruction, yet our voices are not being heard in COP30," said a leader from the Munduruku people, who live along the Tapajós River in the Brazilian Amazon. "This COP is for white people to enter the Amazon, not for us. Our people are starving, without health care or education, while millions are being spent to build this city for outsiders."

People observe the clash between indigenous protesters and security at the COP30 conference in Belem, Brazil. Photo: TBS

Some waved flags with slogans calling for land rights or carried signs saying, "Our land is not for sale."

"We can't eat money," said Gilmar, an Indigenous leader from the Tupinamba community near the lower reaches of the Tapajos River in Brazil, who uses only one name. "We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners and illegal loggers."

Jacob Jhond, a US-based Indigenous activist, joined the protest and told TBS: "This is not a people's COP. Nothing about Indigenous rights is being discussed here."

"People from the Amazon have been fighting to protect this land for centuries," said another protester. "Yet we remain invisible in these global conversations."

The protesters dispersed shortly after the clash. They had been in a group of hundreds who marched to the venue.

Security guards later allowed delegates to exit the venue, having earlier asked them to move back inside until the area was clear. Within the compound, the United Nations is responsible for security.

UN response

"Earlier this evening, a group of protesters breached security barriers at the main entrance to the COP, causing minor injuries to two security staff, and minor damage to the venue," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"Brazilian and UN security personnel took protective actions to secure the venue, following all established security protocols. Brazilian and UN authorities are investigating the incident. The venue is fully secured, and COP negotiations continue."

Indigenous role at COP30

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has highlighted Indigenous communities as key players in this year's COP30 negotiations.

Earlier this week, dozens of Indigenous leaders arrived by boat to participate in the talks and demand more say in how forests are managed.

Calls for greater empowerment

In a separate interview on 4 November, a prominent Indigenous leader told Reuters that many from the Indigenous communities were upset with ongoing industry and development projects in the forest. Raoni Metuktire, also known as Chief Raoni, urged Brazil to empower native peoples to preserve the Amazon.