In a dramatic turn of events at the COP30 climate talks in Belém, Brazil, protesters stormed the venue on Tuesday night, clashing with security personnel and causing minor injuries. Demonstrators, many appearing to be from indigenous groups and a left-wing Brazilian youth movement called Juntos, carried signs reading ‘our forests are not for sale’ and broke through initial security barriers. Videos on social media showed protesters in traditional indigenous attire chanting, kicking down doors, and engaging in physical altercations with guards. A security guard reportedly sustained a head injury after being struck by a drum thrown by a protester. The United Nations confirmed the incident, stating that two security staff were injured and there was limited damage to the venue. Brazilian and UN authorities are investigating the breach, which is highly unusual given the strict protocols at such international conferences. The location of COP30 in Belém, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, has been contentious, with indigenous leaders criticizing environmental damage caused by deforestation and fossil fuel extraction. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized the importance of the Amazon in climate solutions, calling COP30 ‘the COP of truth’ in an era of climate denialism. The event, dubbed ‘the Indigenous peoples COP,’ aims to center indigenous voices, with an estimated 3,000 indigenous participants from around the world. A recent UN report highlighted that indigenous communities safeguard 80% of the planet’s biodiversity but receive less than 1% of international climate funding. The protests underscore the growing tensions between environmental activists, indigenous groups, and global climate policies.