Clashes broke out Tuesday between dozens of Indigenous demonstrators and security personnel outside the conference venue hosting the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil — a rare disruption at the annual UN climate gathering.
The protests began as demonstrators chanted and performed traditional dances before attempting to enter the building. Security forces intervened to push them back, prompting brief scuffles. Calm was restored after guards reinforced the entrances using tables and chairs to block access.
An AFP reporter witnessed a police officer being evacuated in a wheelchair due to injuries sustained during the confrontation.
Maria Clara, from the Bahia Sustainability Network, said the protest aimed to “highlight the suffering of Indigenous peoples, whose voices are consistently ignored in these international forums.”
