Indigenous protesters storm COP30 venue in Brazil, demand protection of forests and land rights
Belem (Brazil): Demanding urgent climate action and protection of ancestral lands from deforestation and industrial encroachment, dozens of indigenous demonstrators stormed the COP30 climate summit venue in Belem, Brazil, on Tuesday.
Carrying flags and placards reading “Our land is not for sale,” the protesters, attempted to enter the United Nations compound where thousands of delegates were attending the global climate talks. Security personnel blocked their entry and used tables to reinforce the barriers.
“We can’t eat money,” said Nato, an Indigenous leader from the Tupinamba community. “We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners and illegal loggers.”
According to witnesses, the conflict injured two security personnel. One guard was seen being removed in a wheelchair, holding his stomach. Another suffered a cut above his eye after being struck by a drumstick apparently thrown from the crowd. Authorities later seized several wooden sticks from demonstrators.
The confrontation ended after demonstrators dispersed peacefully, as reported by Reuters. Security briefly restricted delegates from leaving the venue before reopening the gates once the area was cleared.
“Earlier this evening, a group of protesters breached security barriers at the main entrance to the COP, causing minor injuries to two security staff and minor damage to the venue,” a UN spokesperson said. “The situation was brought under control, and COP negotiations continue as scheduled.”
While Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has acknowledged the importance of Indigenous communities in the 2025 climate negotiations, dozens of Indigenous leaders arrived by boat to participate in discussions about sustainable forest management and environmental protection.
Chief Raoni Metuktire, a veteran indigenous leader, told Reuters that native tribes are becoming increasingly frustrated with ongoing industrial operations in the Amazon. He urged the Brazilian government to grant Indigenous peoples greater authority in protecting the rainforest.
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Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
