Protesters blocking access roads to the summit of Mauna Kea on Wednesday were arrested as Thirty Meter Telescope crews were set to start construction.
About 300 protesters gathered Wednesday to block access roads to the summit of the Big Island and stop crews from beginning construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, planned to be the world's largest telescope. After two warnings, Hawaii County Police made their first arrest of a protester for blocking the road to construction sites.
Opposition to the massive telescope has been growing because many Hawaiians believe the site on Mauna Kea is sacred and feel the land has been mistreated since the 1960s, when astronomers first started using the area.
The protesters successfully stalled crews for more than an hour, but Hawaii County Police warned people they would be arrested if they didn't move. Most people in the crowd dispersed peacefully without any arrests, Hawaii News Now reported.
But as construction crews drove forward about 50 yards, they were blocked again by another group of protesters, who said they were committed to holding their ground. Hawaii News Now reports that at least one arrest had been made around 8:40 a.m. local time and more protesters continue to block the road.
TMT representatives told BuzzFeed News that crews planned to inspect the telescope and then install a fence around the construction zone on Wednesday.
"First arrestee on #Maunakea."
Thirty Meter Telescope representatives announced on Saturday that they would restart construction on the $1.4 billion project. The construction first began in March but was halted the following month after 31 people were arrested for blocking crews.
Hawaii Gov. David Ige originally called for the construction moratorium, but then in late May said construction could resume and gave his support of the project.
Protesters have been illegally camping at the Visitors Center, along the access road to the summit, for almost three months, saying they are protecting the mountain, where the Hawaiian creation story begins.
"Mauna Kea is a deeply sacred place, the wao akua, realm of the gods, and it is the piko (navel) that connects Earth Mother and Sky Father, as well as past and future generations of Native Hawaiians" Bianca Isaki, board member of KAHEA, a non-profit that works to protect Hawaii's natural and cultural resources, said to BuzzFeed News. "Mauna Kea is also a critical site of Native Hawaiian practices associated with observing movements of the stars."
Scientists say the unparalleled height and unique isolation of Mauna Kea offers views into the universe that with the technology of the new telescope will have never been seen before.
The land where the telescope is being constructed is managed by the University of Hawaii, and the California nonprofit building the Thirty Meter Telescope was formed by the University of California and the California Institute of Technology. Institutions in Canada, China, India and Japan are partners and would receive a share of observing time along with UH scientists.
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1J6834b
No comments:
Post a Comment