Indigenous demonstrators clashed with security forces outside the main venue of the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, on Tuesday, after briefly attempting to storm the compound hosting global delegates. The confrontation, which lasted several minutes, highlighted deep frustration among Indigenous groups over land rights and environmental exploitation in the Amazon.
Witnesses said dozens of protesters tried to push through security barriers, chanting slogans and waving banners that read “Our land is not for sale” and “Protect the Amazon.” Many were members of Amazonian tribes demanding stronger guarantees of Indigenous sovereignty and an end to illegal mining, logging, and agribusiness expansion.
Security personnel blocked entry using makeshift barricades, including tables and metal barriers. The clash turned physical when protesters began throwing objects, injuring at least two guards — one of whom was wheeled away for medical assistance. Several batons were reportedly seized during the scuffle.
Speaking to Reuters, Gilmar, an Indigenous leader from the Tupinamba community along the Tapajos River, said the protest symbolised decades of neglect. “We can’t eat money. We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners, and illegal loggers,” he said.
The crowd, estimated at several hundred, eventually dispersed after being pushed back by security. Access to the site was temporarily suspended, and delegates were only allowed to leave once the area was secured.
Brazilian authorities redirected media inquiries to the United Nations, which manages security at COP30 venues, but the UN had not issued a statement at the time of reporting. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has positioned Indigenous communities at the centre of Brazil’s climate policy, has repeatedly said their role is vital to preserving the Amazon rainforest.
However, Indigenous leaders, including Chief Raoni Metuktire, have expressed dissatisfaction with what they describe as “empty promises” and slow progress on demarcating ancestral lands. The confrontation at Belem underscores the growing tension between Brazil’s environmental ambitions and the lived realities of the people most affected by deforestation and climate change.
