Protesters Block Construction of Giant Hawaii Telescope

[mahina]

16. 700 demonstrators, holy smokes. Kaua'i newspaper the Garden Island:

http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/over-demonstrators-stall-construction/article_b1db120e-e49d-5baf-82d0-73b95b7425b6.html?mode=jqm

“DLNR came up first and we were holding them at the crosswalk,” he said. “Up the mountain where there was no pavement anymore, the strategy was to have a line of guys to hold back the line of officers, so everytime the officers came close, they had to address that group of line and say, ‘If you guys don’t move, we going to have to arrest you.’”

Hansen, who arrived on the mountain Tuesday evening, said the protesters rose as early as 4 a.m. to prepare.

“Was in general kapu aloha – very much a peaceful thing,” he said. “At first, there was a lot of confrontation. The DLNR director had a real emotional (moment). He was just like, ‘I’m sorry I’m doing this. I don’t want to be doing this.’”

Hansen, who was also on the mountain for the April demonstration, said the demonstrators will be up early today to figure out their next move.

“Everyone (acted) in the most respectful manner — very pono with kapu aloha and try to figure out the next strategy,” he said.