Indigenous activists in Brazil clash with security at COP30

Dozens of Indigenous protesters briefly forced their way into the COP30 climate summit venue in Brazil.

Dozens of Indigenous protesters and other climate activists on Tuesday evening forced their way into the main venue of the UN climate summit being held in Brazil.

They then scuffled with security officers inside the compound where thousands of delegates from countries around the world are attending this year's COP30 climate summit in the Amazon city of Belem.

Some of the protesters waved flags and chanted, while others held slogans calling for land rights or carried signs saying, "Our land is not for sale."

"We can't eat money," said Gilmar, an Indigenous leader from the Tupinamba community near the lower reaches of the Tapajos River in Brazil, told Reuters news agency.

"We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners and illegal loggers," said Gilmar, who only uses one name.

Agustin Ocana, mobilization coordinator for youth with the Global Youth Coalition, told The Associated Press news agency that some of the group were chanting, "They cannot decide for us without us."

That is a reference to tensions over participation of Indigenous people in the conference.

Security staff suffered minor injuries in the clash

Journalists at the scene reported seeing a police officer being evacuated in a wheelchair.

Another guard with a fresh cut above his eye told Reuters he had been hit in the head by a heavy drumstick thrown from the crowd.

Ocanasaid he saw protesters and security hitting each other with small plastic bins. One guard was bleeding from being hit in the head, he said.

Security confiscated several long, heavy sticks.

The incident caused minor injuries to two security staff and minor damage to the venue, a UN Climate Change spokesperson said.

The confrontation came late in the day as people were filtering out of the venue for COP30.

UN police officers were asking those still inside the venue to evacuate the vast site of giant air-conditioned tents.

Security within the conference grounds lies with UN police, while local authorities take charge of the surrounding area.

Access points to the venue were closed and heavily guarded by security forces.

Indigenous communities demanding more say in forest management

Earlier on Tuesday, prominent Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire told Reuters that many from the Indigenous communities were upset with infrastructure projects in the forest.

The leader of Brazil's Indigenous Kayapo people, Raoni Metuktire has been fighting to protect his homeland in the Amazon for decades.

He warned that proposed highways, rail projects and oil wells would harm people across the world.

"These projects destroy rivers and lands and they are continuing to do it. …. It will be very bad for us. And for you too. You are bringing the consequences upon yourselves," he said

Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah