Dozens of Indigenous protesters stormed into the COP30 climate summit venue in Brazil.
According to CNN, numerous protestors on Tuesday, November 11, forced their way into the venue in Belém and clashed with the security guards at the entrance.
Protestors, while shouting angrily, demanded access to the United Nations compound, where representatives of several countries around the world were gathered for the summit.
Some of the demonstrators were wearing brightly coloured feather headdresses, waving flags with slogans calling for land rights and placards saying, “Our land is not for sale.”
Gilmar, an Indigenous leader from the Tupinamba community near the lower reaches of the Tapajos River in Brazil, said, “We can’t eat money. We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners and illegal loggers.”
The UN security at the venue used tables to block the entrance and pushed back the protestors. The tussle between security and demonstrators resulted in some minor injuries to the guards.
A Reuters witness saw a guard who was rushed away in a wheelchair, clutching his stomach, while another guard with a fresh cut above his eye told the outlet that a heavy drumstick was thrown at him from the crowd, and the guards seized several long, heavy sticks. However, they were dispersed shortly after the clash.
Later, a UN spokesperson stated, “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.”
“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,” the representative added.
Notably, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva noted that Indigenous peoples are key participants in this year’s COP30 talks.
