Tension flared at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) on Tuesday when dozens of Indigenous protesters forced their way into the summit venue, demanding urgent climate action and protection for the Amazon rainforest.
The protesters, chanting and waving flags, clashed with security personnel at the entrance of the U.N. compound in Belém, the Amazonian host city of this year’s climate summit. Thousands of global delegates, including world leaders, climate activists, and negotiators, are currently attending the event.
Eyewitnesses told DA News that the protesters, some of whom carried placards reading “Our land is not for sale” and “We can’t eat money,” demanded immediate action to safeguard Indigenous territories from agribusiness, oil drilling, illegal mining, and logging.
“We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners, and illegal loggers,” said Nato, an Indigenous leader from Brazil’s Tupinamba community.
Security guards were seen attempting to block the protesters with tables, leading to a brief scuffle at the main gate.
In a statement released later, the COP30 media office confirmed the breach, describing it as an isolated incident that caused “minor injuries to two security staff and slight damage to the venue.”
“Brazilian and U.N. security personnel took protective actions to secure the venue, following all established security protocols,” the statement said. “The venue is now fully secured, and COP negotiations continue.”
The statement added that both Brazilian and U.N. authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
The Indigenous protesters’ action comes amid growing frustration among environmental groups over what they describe as “slow and symbolic” progress in addressing deforestation, carbon emissions, and land rights in the Amazon one of the world’s most critical carbon sinks.
This year’s COP30 summit is being hosted in the heart of the Amazon rainforest for the first time, symbolizing the global importance of protecting forest ecosystems.
However, the dramatic scenes underscore the deepening tensions between Indigenous communities, governments, and global corporations over climate justice, biodiversity loss, and the exploitation of natural resources.
By Dare Akogun
