Indigenous protesters clash with security at COP30 climate summit in Brazil

Dozens of Indigenous protesters forced their way into the COP30 climate summit venue in Belem on Tuesday, clashing with security guards as they demanded stronger climate action and protection for their ancestral lands in the Amazon.

Witnesses said the protesters, many carrying flags and banners reading “Our land is not for sale” and calling for land rights, stormed the entrance to the U.N. compound where thousands of international delegates have gathered for this year’s United Nations climate conference.

“We can’t eat money,” said Nato, an Indigenous leader from the Tupinamba community who uses only one name.

“We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners, and illegal loggers.”

Security personnel quickly moved to block the protesters’ advance, using tables to barricade the entrance. A Reuters witness reported that one security guard was wheeled away clutching his stomach, while another sustained a cut above his eye after being struck by a heavy drumstick thrown from the crowd. Several long wooden sticks were later confiscated by security teams.

The protesters dispersed shortly after the confrontation, though they were part of a larger march of several hundred Indigenous activists who had approached the venue earlier in the day.

The incident highlighted long-standing tensions between Indigenous communities and global policymakers over environmental protection and resource exploitation in the Amazon, where deforestation and illegal mining continue to threaten both biodiversity and local livelihoods.

COP30, hosted in the Amazon for the first time, aims to push for stronger commitments to limit global warming and protect vital ecosystems. However, Tuesday’s scenes underscored the frustration among Indigenous groups who say their voices are still being marginalized in international climate negotiations.