A large group of protesters, including dozens of Indigenous people, forcefully stormed the entrance to the blue zone of the United Nations Climate Change Conference venue in Brazil on the 11th, resulting in clashes with security personnel and leaving two security guards injured.
The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is being held from the 10th to the 21st in Belém, the capital of Pará state in northern Brazil. The blue zone is the official site for UN-managed climate negotiations.
The protesters angrily chanted slogans demanding access to the venue. Some waved flags bearing slogans about land rights, while others held banners reading "Our land is not for sale."
An Indigenous leader from the Tupinambá community near the lower Tapajós River in Brazil told the media that they are dissatisfied with the ongoing development in the forest and are demanding greater influence in the negotiations over forest management.
Security guards blocked the protesters, used tables to barricade the entrance, and confiscated several sticks. Shortly after the clashes, the protesters dispersed.
A United Nations spokesperson issued a statement saying that on the 11th, a group of protesters broke through the security barrier at the main entrance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, resulting in minor injuries to two security guards and minor damage to the venue.
The spokesperson stated: "Security personnel of both Brazil and the United Nations took all established safety procedures to ensure the site's security. The authorities of Brazil and the United Nations are investigating the incident. The venue is completely secure, and climate negotiations are continuing."