Indigenous protesters breached COP30 security in Belém, Brazil, demanding land rights and direct climate funding, exposing deep divides at the UN summit.
Sseema Giill
BELÉM, BRAZIL — Dozens of Indigenous protesters breached security barriers outside the COP30 climate summit on November 11, clashing with UN guards and halting sessions for nearly an hour. The confrontation, which took place at the Hangar Convention Center in Belém, left two guards with minor injuries and forced temporary lockdowns within the Blue Zone.
The incident highlighted rising frustration among Indigenous representatives who argue that, despite record participation of about 3,000 delegates, they remain excluded from binding negotiations on climate finance and land rights. The chants that echoed across the venue — “They cannot decide for us without us” — reflected a growing demand for genuine decision-making power within the UN climate process.
The protests came just a day after global leaders announced the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), a new $5.5 billion climate fund that promises 20% allocation to Indigenous and local communities. While Brazil’s government framed this as “historic inclusion,” Indigenous organizations across Latin America warned that the TFFF’s structure prioritizes investor returns over community-led forest protection.
In August 2025, Brazil had launched the Círculo dos Povos (Circle of Peoples) and Kuntari Katu diplomatic training program to boost Indigenous participation ahead of COP30. Yet Indigenous coalitions from Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador say the move did little to address long-standing power imbalances.
Weeks before the summit, a 3,000-kilometre Indigenous flotilla traveled from the Andes to the Amazon, symbolizing the connection between melting glaciers and deforestation. Upon arrival in Belém, participants warned that if Indigenous voices remained sidelined, COP30 would repeat “30 years of symbolic participation with no real power.”
On the evening of November 11, protesters from the Kayapo, Tupinamba, and Munduruku communities marched toward the Blue Zone gates, chanting for immediate recognition of Indigenous territorial rights and direct climate financing.
Witnesses reported brief scuffles when security forces blocked the entrance. Video footage shows protesters beating drums and carrying signs reading “Our land is not for sale” and “Our forests are not for sale.” UN security later confirmed that the breach was contained and negotiations resumed within an hour.
“We can’t eat money,” said Gilmar, a Tupinamba representative from Brazil’s Tapajós River region. “We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, and illegal logging.”
Veteran Indigenous leader Chief Raoni Metuktire, 93, also addressed delegates: “We are here to talk about Indigenous rights and to ask, speak, shout, so that we can be respected and continue living.”
Brazil’s Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, defended the government’s inclusion efforts, calling the TFFF allocation “a decisive step toward equity.”
But the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) — the country’s largest Indigenous coalition — said participation without authority remains “a façade.” Executive Coordinator Dinaman Tuxá reiterated demands for binding land demarcation and direct access to climate funds: “Upholding Indigenous peoples’ rights is only possible by placing them at the center of decisions, not on the sidelines.”
UN security called the breach “a contained disruption” and confirmed that “dialogue channels have been opened with Indigenous delegates to ensure peaceful continuation of COP30 proceedings.”
The protest has turned the spotlight on what many are calling the “participation paradox” — unprecedented Indigenous attendance but continued exclusion from decision-making.
Only about one-third of the Indigenous delegates at COP30 have access to the negotiation hall. The rest are restricted to the civil-society Green Zone, where participation is symbolic.
As COP30 continues in Belém, the core question remains unresolved: can global climate policy truly succeed if the people who safeguard over half of the Amazon’s carbon are still fighting for a seat at the table?
1. What happened at COP30 in Brazil?
On November 11, 2025, dozens of Indigenous protesters breached security at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, clashing with UN guards and halting sessions for nearly an hour.
2. Why did Indigenous groups protest at COP30?
They demanded binding decision-making power, legal land demarcation, and direct access to climate funds—issues they say remain symbolic despite record participation.
3. How many Indigenous delegates are at COP30?
Around 3,000 Indigenous delegates attended—1,000 in official negotiations and 2,000 in civil society spaces—marking the largest Indigenous presence in COP history.
4. What is the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)?
A new $5.5 billion global fund announced at COP30 to protect tropical forests, promising 20% allocation to Indigenous and local communities.
5. What is the key demand of Indigenous protesters?
They want direct financing for forest management and recognition of Indigenous land demarcation as a formal climate mitigation goal.
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