Indigenous protesters storm COP30, clash with UN security staff

Dozens of Indigenous protesters armed with batons breached the security perimeter and briefly stormed the venue of the 30th annual United Nations climate change conference (COP30) in Belem, Brazil, leading to a clash with UN security personnel.

The confrontation occurred late Tuesday as international delegates were attempting to leave the Parque da Cidade.

The protesters' central demands centered on land rights, economic justice and opposition to fossil fuel expansion. They carried flags and posters with slogans like "Our land is not for sale" and "We can't eat money...We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners and illegal loggers."

The group also shouted demands to "tax billionaires" for their role in creating "the heat" that exacerbates the climate crisis.

Host President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was also targeted with chants regarding oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River.

"Lula government, shame on you, you are destroying the climate with this drilling."

The UN security team eventually expelled the protesters from the area, but not before a skirmish occurred near the entrance, which security personnel quickly barricaded with tables.

Local press reported that at least two security staff were injured in the clash. One guard suffered a cut to the forehead after being struck by a drum or drumstick and another was reportedly hit on the head. Security personnel confiscated several batons carried by the protesters.

Few regions feel the impact of climate change on health as much as the Amazon, where Belem is located. In 2024, the region was hit by a historic drought, exacerbated by multiple fires.