By Biswendu Bhattacharjee
Belem (Brazil), Nov 12 (UNI) The entry to the Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP30) venue was closed until 7 am on Wednesday (3.30 pm IST) following a protest by indigenous communities from the Amazon region who were demanding climate justice, COP Presidency said in a statement.
During the protest, a crowd surged into the venue where the Minister of Cities of the Brazilian government was present, addressing the media about the country’s climate action plan. The chaos intensified late Tuesday, resulting in a couple of United Nations security personnel getting injured as protesters tried to breach the security measures.
Initially, security forces blocked the entrance, pushing back demonstrators waving yellow flags protesting against oil drilling in the Amazon. A police officer on duty stated that no arrests were made because citizens have the right to express their opinions in a democracy, and the authorities should listen.
As the situation escalated, UN Security personnel adopted a more aggressive stance, grabbing individuals by the neck and forcefully pushing them down. A spokesperson for UN Climate Change indicated that the situation was eventually brought under control following the chaotic disruption.
Both Brazilian and UN security teams enacted protective measures consistent with established protocols to secure the venue. Investigations into the incident are underway, and officials confirmed that the venue is now secure, allowing COP negotiations to proceed.
Amidst the unrest, a large crowd was shouting and chanting while holding banners and a Palestinian flag. Many participants donned traditional Indigenous attire and headgear. In a particularly tense moment, some protesters stood their ground against guards, who responded by pushing them back.
The COP site operates as a U.N. diplomatic zone, with security managed by the U.N. security team rather than the Brazilian government. The protesters’ primary demands included land rights, economic justice, and a halt to fossil fuel expansion.
They carried flags and signs with slogans like “Our land is not for sale” and “We can’t eat money…We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal mining, and logging.”
Additionally, the crowd called for a tax on billionaires for their role in the climate crisis, shouting slogans like, “Lula government, shame on you, you are destroying the climate with this drilling.”
The regions are experiencing the severe impacts of climate change on health, just as the Amazon does, especially following the historic droughts and multiple fires that hit the area in 2024, the protesters stated.
