Native Hawaiian activists and protesters gathered at the entrance of Mauna Kea Access Road to block construction crews from transporting heavy equipment to the summit of Maunakea for construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
"Mauna Kea protectors" chain themselves to a cattle guard at the base of Mauna Kea Access Road in an effort to block construction crews from transporting equipment for the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
"Mauna Kea protectors" chain themselves to a cattle guard at the base of Mauna Kea Access Road in an effort to block construction crews from transporting equipment for the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
Activists chain themselves to a cattle guard at the base of Mauna Kea Access Road in an effort to block construction crews from transporting equipment for the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
Native Hawaiian activists and protesters gathered at the entrance of Mauna Kea Access Road to block construction crews from transporting heavy equipment to the summit of Maunakea for construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
An overview of "Puʻuhonua," a safe sanctuary that Native Hawaiian groups set up at Puʻu Huluhulu, the base of the Mauna Kea Access Road.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
"Puʻuhonua," a safe sanctuary that Native Hawaiian groups set up at Puʻu Huluhulu, the base of the Mauna Kea Access Road.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
Native Hawaiian activist Kahoʻokahi Kanuha speaks in front of other Hawaiian groups and Thirty Meter Telescope protesters on July 14 at Puʻuhonua.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
"Mauna Kea protectors" chain themselves to a cattle guard at the base of Mauna Kea Access Road in an effort to block construction crews from transporting equipment for the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
"Mauna Kea protectors" chain themselves to a cattle guard at the base of Mauna Kea Access Road in an effort to block construction crews from transporting equipment for the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
Gov. David Ige rescinded his emergency proclamation for Maunakea, as announced in a press conference today. Ige said there are no immediate plans to move TMT construction equipment up the mountain due to approaching hurricanes Erick and Flossie.
“The intention would be to keep law enforcement there just in order to keep people safe,” Ige said. “But obviously, we are monitoring the approach of the storm and will be taking appropriate action.”
The emergency proclamation from July 17 was related to the activists gathered in opposition of TMT. The proclamation was “no longer necessary.”
Ige also announced that the Department of Land and Natural Resources granted the University of Hawai'i a two-year extension for TMT construction. The extension is until Sept. 26, 2021.
Day 14 7/29/19
Hawai'i County Mayor Harry Kim held a press conference regarding the current status of the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Maunakea. He told the media that he's hoping for a peaceful resolution to the TMT conflict without using excessive force and violence.
Kim also clarified that he has little authority over what he can do in regards to the TMT project.
“I cannot call the Guard. Because I don’t have the authority and who wants it, right? I don’t even want this job,” Kim said.
Earlier this month, Gov. David Ige announced that Kim would be “taking the lead” in the TMT project.
Day 13 7/28/19
Univeristy of Hawai'i President David Lassner visited Maunakea and met with leaders of the kia'i camp on Mauna Kea Access Road.
He told reporters that he is not there for them, and that if they had questions, "they know where to find me."
“I came here because I wanted to see you, I wanted to feel your spirit, I wanted to witness for myself first hand what is happening here,” he told the kupuna and the crowd. “I’m committed to try to find a peaceful way forward for all of the people of Hawaiʻi, and that requires that I understand better than I did before I came here,” Lassner said.
Day 11 7/25/19
Roughly 400 people were at the Hawai'i State Capitol to rally in support or opposition of the Thirty Meter Telescope.
Day 10 7/24/19
Decisions over TMT and Maunakea have been handed over to Hawai'i County Mayor Harry Kim, as announced by Gov. David Ige yesterday.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson visited Maunakea, where he met with Hawaiian elders and leaders at Puʻuhuluhulu.
“I wanted to come here and see our people and stand with them and support them,” Johnson said. “What I realized today, and obviously I’ve been following this for years now, is that it’s bigger than a telescope. It’s humanity. It’s culture. It is the people of Polynesia who are willing to die here to protect this land. It’s not about stopping progress. It’s about respecting a culture.”
Day Nine 7/23/19
4 p.m.: The activists prevented existing observatory technicians from passing through their checkpoint at about 8 a.m. today on Maunakea.
This was contrary to an earlier agreement between law enforcement officers and the activists that astronomy technicians would be allowed passage. The crew returned to Hilo.
“Since we are in the middle of the operation, it’s not possible to provide accurate costs to date. The state agencies are funded so we can fulfill our law enforcement duties," the State Department of the Attorney General said.
2 p.m.: The DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement released the names of the 38 individuals arrested after refusing to comply with a lawful order to clear the road on Mauna Kea Access Road on July 17.
RITTE, WALTER
RITTE, LORETTA
LUI, ABEL
MARTIN, LIKO-O-KALANI
LEE, DEBORAH
KAHAUELIO, MAXINE
IOANE, KELII
ROBINSON, RAYNETTE
BROWN, MARIE ALOHALANI
KANAELE, KALIKO LEHUA
NANIOLE, JAMES
ALBERTINI, JAMES
DELEON, RICHARD L.
PRICE, RENEE
KANAHELE, PUALANI
LI, DANIEL
GREEN, PATRICIA
FREITAS, WILLIAM K.
BELSKY, TOMAS
KAHOOPII, ANA
CHUN, DAYCIA-DEE
HOOKANO, FLORA
HAUMEA, DESMOND
LINDSEY-KAAPUNI, LINDA LEILANI
PELEIHOLANI, EDLEEN
BURKE, GENE
NEFF, LUANA
LINDSEY, CARMEN
OANA-HURWITZ, DEENA
WONG, WILSON
TRASK, DAMIAN
TRASK, MILILANI
KALIMA, MAHEA
LEONG, DONNA
REESE, HALOLEY
AWAI, SHAROL
TURALDE, JOHN
DESHA, ALIKA
10:50 a.m.: Gov. David Ige announced that he has asked Hawai'i County Mayor Harry Kim to "take the lead" in Maunakea negotiations.
Ige asked Kim to coordinate both county and state efforts to "peacefully attempt to reach common ground" with TMT opponents and those who support the project.
"We both share the goal of achieving a resolution that is peaceful and satisfactory to as many as possible in the community," Ige said in the statement. "I support the vision he has widely articulated for Maunakea as a beacon of hope and discovery for the world that brings us together rather than divides us. And we both understand that the issues underlying what is taking place today are far deeper than TMT or Maunakea. They are about righting the wrongs done to the Hawaiian people going back more than a century."
Day Eight 7/22/19
Approximately 1,500 people were in the area and around the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road.
Last week in a press conference on Hawai'i Island, Gov. David Ige said there was illegal activity at Pu’uhuluhulu, where alcohol and marijuana were being used. Officials said that law enforcement officers reported that claim, which was the basis of the governor's statement. When informed by officers, protest leaders said that they would patrol the area and ask violators to leave. Those efforts were successful as officers said there is no longer evidence of illegal activity, according to state officials.
Day Seven 7/21/19
Approximately 2,000 people were in the area and around the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road.
No injuries or arrests were reported today.
The state DOT moved portable electronic messaging signs closer to the intersection of Saddle and Mauna Kea Access Roads to help with traffic. The signs caution drivers to slow down before reaching the intersection.
The emergency proclamation remains in place. Access to Maunakea remains closed for safety reasons.
Day Six 7/20/19
Approximately 1,400 people were in the area and around the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road.
Hawai'i Island Police responded to a call of a disorderly male creating a disturbance at Pu'u Huluhulu at 1:40 p.m. The male arrested was 60-year-old Derek Higa of Waimea.
According to HIP, vehicles parked on the pavement near intersection of Mauna Kea Access Road and Daniel K. Inouye Highway were moved after an advisory was sent out.
Gov. David Ige's emergency proclamation remains in place.
Day Five 7/19/19
Gov. David Ige held a press conference today and reiterated that the state's top priority is safety. Law enforcement continues to plan and prepare for the movement of construction equipment up the mountain.
Ige met with Hawai'i Mayor Harry Kim and agencies today, to determine the next steps with the Thirty Meter Telescope project.
In the press conference, Ige claimed that there were reports that people were using drugs and alcohol in the Pu’uhonua base. He said that the emergency proclamation is still in place.
"This is a complicated set of issues and the emotions are fueled by desire for many things Some of these issues we can work towards, some we can not. But I remain committed to finding those places of common ground. Both the mayor and I have had many discussions with many people, but many of the leaders of this protest do not want to meet," Ige said.
Over 1,000 people were in the area around the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road. No arrests or injuries were reported today.
State officials addressed the claims of how use of excessive force was approved. It is inaccurate, according to state officials.
Day Four 7/18/19
There were approximately 600 people near the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road. No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.
Daniel K. Inouye Highway was open today, but foot traffic beyond the cattle guard on Mauna Kea Access Road (approximately 1/8 mile from the intersection) is now restricted.
Yesterday, it was reported that 33 people were arrested and cited. 34 people were actually arrested, cited and released Wednesday for obstructing government operations. The names will be released when officers involved are able to file reports.
Day Three 7/17/19
5 p.m.: Gov. David Ige signed an emergency proclamation today allowing additional state workers to support actions at Maunakea. The proclamation expands the authority of law enforcement officers to control and manage areas on Maunakea.
There were approximately 1,000 people at the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road.
Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers arrested 33 people. All were almost immediately released.
The arrests were made for obstructing government operations, a misdemeanor offense.
Four people with minor health issues needed medical assistance.
The DOT also temporarily closed an approximately 30-mile stretch of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway from 11:15 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. Law enforcement said that people and vehicles were posing a safety hazard.
11 a.m.: Approximately 20 people have been arrested so far, including kupuna.
Dan Ahuna, chair of the Ad-Hoc committee on Maunakea, said in a statement that "Our kupuna are being arrested. Fellow OHA Trustee Hulu Lindsey was taken into custody. Our voices are being ignored. I implore the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to immediately file an injunction to halt any further efforts by the State of Hawaii, UH and the Thirty Meter Telescope until the matters in our lawsuit are resolved."
8 a.m.: Law enforcement officers have begun arresting protesters blocking Mauna Kea Access Road.
Day Two 7/16/19
On day two of construction plans for the Thirty Meter Telescope, approximately 200 protesters were near the intersection of Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road today. No arrests were made, according to state officials.
Puʻu Huluhulu remains open to the public.
The Mauna Kea Observatories announced that all personnel evacuated from their telescope facilities this afternoon. Officials anticipate returning to normal operations as soon as the situation allows.
Protesters and law enforcement negotiated over ground rules about Mauna Kea Access Road.
Day One 7/15/19
4 p.m.: Approximately 300-500 people gathered at the intersection of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway and Mauna Kea Access Road on day one of the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Construction crews did not transport heavy machinery up the summit due to safety concerns.
No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.
The State Department of Transportation set up concrete barriers along the Daniel K. Inouye Highway near the Mauna Kea Access Road intersection and installed a gate on the access road.
3 p.m.: The seven activists who chained themselves to a cattle guard were told that they were free to go this afternoon. The protester under the cattle guard was not actually chained to it. They were supposed to be placed under arrest, but according to officials, the seven were told that they had the option to unlock themselves and leave without being arrested.
11 a.m.: No arrests have been made so far, according to state officials.
Jason Redulla, chief of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement Unit of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, said that the Department of Transportation will be installing concrete barriers on the shoulders of the highway.
Officials said that barricades along Mauna Kea Access Road will not be installed at this time.
The protesters who have chained themselves to the cattle guard are still there.
9:15 a.m.: Mauna Kea Access Road, including the shoulders that are part of the highway right-of-way, is closed as of July 15. The road will remain closed until further notice.
According to the Hawaii Department of Transportation, motorists in the area should exercise caution as they approach the intersection of Mauna Kea Access Road and the Daniel K. Inouye Highway due to the increased activity on Mauna Kea Access Road.
HDOT has placed trucks with flashing lights on the shoulders of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway a half-mile out from the intersection in both directions to warn motorists of the activity at the intersection.
7:30 a.m.: Mauna Kea Access Road was supposed to close at 7 a.m. today, but there are a number of Native Hawaiian groups blocking the road. Eight protesters have chained themselves to a cattle guard — including one underneath the metal guard. Law enforcement is on scene.
No arrests have been made as Hawaiian groups and those in opposition of construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea stand their ground.
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Activists chain themselves to a cattle guard at the base of Mauna Kea Access Road in an effort to block construction crews from transporting equipment for the Thirty Meter Telescope on July 15.
Shafkat Anowar / Ka Leo O Hawai'i
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
With the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea beginning on July 15, the state and opponents are anticipating more rounds of legal battles and protests.
“This has been really challenging for the entire community including the University of Hawai‘i,” UH President David Lassner said.
UH leadership acknowledged that the construction of TMT will continue to draw different opinions from the UH community. In a statement, UH leadership said that everyone must embrace the opportunities “to have empathetic discussions about our disparate opinions, including those that oppose decisions made by the university and state.”
UH developed guidelines for faculty, staff and students with information in the event that they encounter forms of expression that may alarm them or prevent them from accessing or leaving their place of employment on campus.
“As the flagship of our state’s only public higher education system, UH Mānoa has a deep responsibility to provide high-quality affordable education to advance our people, our communities and our islands,” the statement said. “That mission requires that we support and celebrate peaceful dialogue, diverse perspectives and critical analysis, as we continue our work in teaching, learning, scholarship and service.”
During a July 10 press conference with other state officials, Gov. David Ige announced that construction would begin on July 15.
“We have followed a 10-year process to get this point, and the day for construction to begin has arrived,” Ige said.
In 2015, construction of TMT was halted because protestors blocked workers from accessing the construction site. Authorities arrested 31 people in April 2015.
In preparation for construction this time around, Mauna Kea Access Road will be closed at 7 a.m. on July 15, according to the State Department of Transportation. The access road will be closed for a few days to allow heavy equipment to be transported. Additional lane and road closures are possible.
Department of Land and Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case said that hunting units A, K and G in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve area will also be temporarily closed starting on July 15. Altogether, the three areas are approximately 12 miles in diameter.
Both of these measures are being taken to ensure the safety of the public and workers transporting heavy equipment.
Ige also said that the National Guard will be on site to assist with transporting personnel and supplies as requested.
At a June 20 press conference, Ige announced that the DLNR issued a notice to proceed for construction on June 19. The permit was issued after the DLNR confirmed that the project met pre-construction conditions and requirements in the Conservation District Use Permit.
With the construction project moving forward, protestors and Native Hawaiian activist groups expressed concern that officials will use a long-range acoustic device, or “sound cannon,” against protestors.
According to a letter to the DLNR from the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i, “The LRAD technology concentrates and directs acoustic energy (that is, sound) in a narrow beam at a target, making for an incredibly loud, powerful, and painful sound.”
In the letter, ACLU demanded that the state not to use the LRAD against protestors.
Ige said that the LRAD will not be used against protestors, but used as a way to communicate with large groups if needed.
“See you on the Mauna”
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairwoman Colette Machado and OHA Trustee Dan Ahuna sent a letter to Ige demanding a halt to the construction of TMT. The letter highlighted the Native Hawaiian community’s concerns over the state’s management of Maunakea.
Many Native Hawaiian activist groups and TMT opponents indicated that they would stand firm in their resistance to the construction.
“We know that the State of Hawai‘i is ramping up for what could possibly be the largest mobilization of law enforcement agencies in recent memory,” Kaho‘okahi Kanuha, a Native Hawaiian activist, said in a press release on July 13.
Mauna Kea protectors hold a vigil at Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘u Huluhulu, the base of Maunakea.
A portion of an essay published in Kanaeokana, a network of ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, Hawaiian culture and ‘āina-based schools asked if the State of Hawai‘i has a clear title to Maunakea and seven legitimate rights to determine who can use it.
The piece is titled “10 questions about Mauna Kea whose answers might surprise you.”
“No. The Mauna Kea summit is ceded land—that is, part of the roughly 1.8 million acres seized from the Hawaiian Kingdom government and Queen Lili‘uokalani by a cabal of sugar businessmen and missionary descendants with US military backing—an undertaking that President Grover Cleveland called ‘an act of war,’” according to the essay.
Lassner acknowledged that there are divided opinions among the community, and that he feels the frustration of those who oppose the TMT project.
“There are also many, many people who see the benefits of the project, including many Kānaka Maoli,” Lassner said during the July 10 press conference. “Many of whom choose not to speak out in support, but many of whom do want to see this project built for the contributions to human knowledge, for the contributions to education, for the contributions to the economy and the sheer impact of discovery.”
Construction of the $1.4 billion telescope on the northern plateau of the summit is expected to last around a decade. State officials said that there are plans to have five of the current 13 telescopes on the summit decommissioned.
Jon Osorio, dean of the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, sings to his daughter Jamaica Osorio, who is chained to the cattle guard on Mauna Kea Access Road on July 15.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Native Hawaiian groups held a vigil at Puʻuhonua on July 14, a day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Maunakea starts.
Chavonnie Ramos has served as the Editor in Chief of Ka Leo since January 2019, and has been with student media since 2016. She is a senior majoring in Journalism and English at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.
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