Violent clashes erupted at the UN climate talks in Belem, Brazil on Tuesday as protesters attempted to force their way into the main venue. The scuffle involved security personnel and activists, resulting in minor injuries to two guards and some damage to the building.
Eyewitnesses report that a group of around 20 protesters, some dressed in traditional Indigenous attire, approached the COP30 headquarters, chanting slogans like "They cannot decide for us without us." Agustin Ocaña, mobilization coordinator for youth with the Global Youth Coalition, was outside when he witnessed the confrontation. He explained that things escalated when security guards responded forcefully to the activists' attempts to enter.
Ocaña said some protesters carried small plastic bins used to store items near secure entrances and hit the guards with them. The activist described two or three individuals with visible bruises and one guard bleeding from being struck in the head. When asked about the motivations behind the protest, Ocaña emphasized that Indigenous communities are desperate to protect their land, rivers, and resources.
The incident is seen as a symptom of deeper tensions within the UN climate talks. Ocaña believes that global conversations about saving the planet often overlook the devastating impact of human activities on indigenous lands. He cautioned that such confrontations could be just a glimpse into what will happen if governments continue to fail to address environmental destruction.
U.N. Climate Change officials confirmed that Brazilian and U.N. security personnel took measures to secure the venue following established protocols, but the incident remains under investigation. The negotiations are set to resume despite the brief disruption, underscoring the ongoing struggle between activists seeking action on climate change and governments working to implement policy changes.
Eyewitnesses report that a group of around 20 protesters, some dressed in traditional Indigenous attire, approached the COP30 headquarters, chanting slogans like "They cannot decide for us without us." Agustin Ocaña, mobilization coordinator for youth with the Global Youth Coalition, was outside when he witnessed the confrontation. He explained that things escalated when security guards responded forcefully to the activists' attempts to enter.
Ocaña said some protesters carried small plastic bins used to store items near secure entrances and hit the guards with them. The activist described two or three individuals with visible bruises and one guard bleeding from being struck in the head. When asked about the motivations behind the protest, Ocaña emphasized that Indigenous communities are desperate to protect their land, rivers, and resources.
The incident is seen as a symptom of deeper tensions within the UN climate talks. Ocaña believes that global conversations about saving the planet often overlook the devastating impact of human activities on indigenous lands. He cautioned that such confrontations could be just a glimpse into what will happen if governments continue to fail to address environmental destruction.
U.N. Climate Change officials confirmed that Brazilian and U.N. security personnel took measures to secure the venue following established protocols, but the incident remains under investigation. The negotiations are set to resume despite the brief disruption, underscoring the ongoing struggle between activists seeking action on climate change and governments working to implement policy changes.
I saw that video of the protest in Belem and it was like, super intense. Those activists were passionate, but so are the governments trying to make deals. Can't they find common ground? It's not just about the environment, it's about people's lives too. I remember last year's COP, there were protests outside the venue in Glasgow... 
Same message, different location. We need to listen to each other and work together if we wanna save this planet.
what's up with these protests? I mean I get it they wanna protect their land & resources but violent clashes? 
isn't that just gonna scare ppl away from listening to their concerns? 
. I mean, it's like they're having a conversation without actually listening to each other 
. These Indigenous communities are fighting for their lives, literally 
, but nobody seems to care 
except for the ones who are trying to make a difference, you know? Like, I get that governments have to protect their interests, but come on, we're talking about the future of our planet here 
! It's like, can't we all just agree that it's time to act? 
I'm not saying it's gonna be easy, but do we really need violence 
to get people to listen?
? these protests make me wanna throw up my hands – I mean, I'm all for activism, but some of this stuff is just so... unorganized 
. a group of 20 people showing up with tiny bins and hitting guards over the head? no thanks 
. and what's with the chants? "They cannot decide for us without us"? don't get me wrong, I'm all for Indigenous communities' rights, but can't we just write this stuff out in a neat format first? 
layout is everything! 
. i mean, i've seen more organized protests at my local coffee shop's annual meeting 
. can we do that? please? 
. It's heartbreaking to think that there are people who have been fighting against the system for years, and yet governments still don't seem to be listening 
. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for them to see all these efforts being made at the UN climate talks, but not seeing any real action taken 
. We need more empathy and understanding in our conversations about climate change - we can't just keep talking about it without actually doing something about it 
.
I'm like "climat-ically" worried about these protests! 
?
anyway back to this drama... like what even is the point of having these talks if governments aren't gonna listen? 
I don't know how much more of this we can take... these protests are getting out of hand and people get hurt 
. We need to find a way to work together and have real conversations about how we can mitigate the damage without resorting to violence 
This whole thing is just so messed up 
.
. The Indigenous communities have every right to speak out against environmental destruction, but violent clashes aren't gonna get them anywhere 
We're seeing devastating effects on our lands, oceans, and communities every day 
. These activists think they're fighting for their land, but honestly, it's just a bunch of entitled whining 
. And by the way, those plastic bins they were using as projectiles? That's just lazy 
.