Entrance to COP30 Climate Talks Blocked by Protesters
On the edge of the Brazilian Amazon, the entrance to the United Nations COP30 climate conference was blocked by approximately 100 protesters on Friday morning, 14 November 2025. The demonstrators, many wearing clothing associated with Indigenous groups, formed a human chain and effectively shut down one of the main access points to the venue in Belem.
Military Response and Conference Rerouting
Brazilian military personnel were deployed to prevent the demonstrators from entering the negotiation site. While the situation was tense, there were no reports of physical altercations between the security forces and the protesters. In response to the blockade, conference organisers were forced to reroute all participants. Delegates entered the venue through an alternative door, while UN staff hastily moved metal detectors to this side entrance to manage the long, snaking queues that formed as a result.
A Pattern of Protest and Promises of Prominence
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change moved to reassure attendees, stating that the demonstration was peaceful and posed "no danger." This incident follows a more confrontational protest on Tuesday night, where Indigenous demonstrators clashed with security and stormed an entrance, resulting in minor injuries. This series of demonstrations presents a complex challenge for conference organisers, who have actively promoted this year's summit as an opportunity to grant Indigenous peoples greater prominence and power within global climate negotiations.
