Tensions Erupt at COP30 Climate Talks in Brazil: Activists Clash with Security

Protesters Challenge Security at COP30

Belem (Brazil): On Tuesday, a group of activists clashed with security personnel during the United Nations climate conference in Belem, Brazil, attempting to breach the main venue before being repelled. The UN reported that two security staff sustained minor injuries during the incident.

The altercation occurred as attendees were leaving the COP30 venue, which is the official name for the conference.

According to a statement from UN Climate Change, a group of protesters managed to breach security barriers at the main entrance, resulting in minor injuries to two security personnel and slight damage to the venue.

In response, Brazilian and UN security teams implemented protective measures to secure the area, adhering to established protocols. Authorities from both Brazil and the UN are currently investigating the situation, assuring that the venue is secure and that COP negotiations are ongoing.

Agustin Ocaña, a mobilization coordinator for youth with the Global Youth Coalition, recounted witnessing two groups, one in yellow shirts and the other representing Indigenous communities, approaching the venue.

Initially, the groups were engaged in dancing and chanting, prompting Ocaña to join them as he had friends in the Indigenous contingent.

While he did not see which group first breached security, he noted that tensions escalated when guards forcefully closed the doors and summoned additional security.

Chants of "They cannot decide for us without us" echoed from the protesters, highlighting frustrations regarding Indigenous representation at the conference.

As clashes ensued, Ocaña observed both sides using small plastic bins as makeshift weapons. He reported seeing one guard bleeding from a head injury and several protesters with bruises.

Ocaña expressed that many Indigenous communities feel disillusioned as resources are allocated to create a new city while their basic needs for education, healthcare, and forest protection remain unmet.

"They are not acting out of malice; they are desperate to safeguard their land and rivers," Ocaña stated.

"This incident is a glimpse of what could occur if we continue to engage in endless discussions about protecting the planet while simultaneously causing its destruction," he added.