Brazil – The COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil, witnessed an unprecedented protest by indigenous people from the Amazon on Tuesday evening. They chanted slogans such as “Our land is not for sale” and “We cannot eat money.” The event began with a massive march of hundreds of protesters. Some then stormed the conference’s security headquarters, leading to minor clashes with security personnel and the throwing of tables and chairs.
The protesters wore their traditional costumes and danced among the crowds. This was a symbolic gesture of their refusal to have their environmental and cultural issues reduced to a mere item on the summit’s agenda. One of the Tupinamba leaders said, “We want our land free of agricultural companies, oil companies, and illegal mines.”
Brazilian security and the United Nations later confirmed that the hall was fully secured and that negotiations were continuing. However, the incident reflects the simmering anger of Indigenous people over their marginalization in environmental decision-making processes that affect their lives and lands.
