After a week of peaceful "protectors" blocking access to construction crews on Mauna Kea (Big Island, Hawai'i) arrests began on Thursday. The TMT Corporation plans to build a 34,000 square feet and 18 stories tall telescope that will add to the existing 13 telescopes. In both videos below, one can see that the officers are reluctant to oppose the protectors and many share their beliefs that the mountain is being desecrated.
This battle has been raging for forty years. More in depth discussion can be found here and on a site devoted to protecting Mauna Kea
Lanakila Mangauil asked the officials to look into their hearts and join with the protectors. In the following video he talks about how the construction was scheduled to start during Makahiki, a time of peace when cultural practitioners would be unable to block access. Serendipitously Poliʻahu (goddess of snow) dumped so much snow on Mauna Kea that construction was delayed until after the closing of Makahiki.
The only anger was expressed as officers handcuffed 70 year old Moani Akaka - a former Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee. Kupuna (elders) are used to be treated with respect and she appeared shocked to be handcuffed. Akaka has long opposed building yet another telescope on Mauna Kea saying, "We feel that enough is enough. We want no further development of telescopes on Mauna Kea."
Protectors are concerned about polluted wastewater from the installations, environmental damage (which has already occurred) and interference with Hawaiian cultural observances. According to Cory Harden, "Astronomy can occur in many places, but many Hawaiian traditions carried out on Mauna Kea cannot be carried out anywhere else in the world"
The University of Hawaii has 13 observatories on the peak which is "ceded land" (land stolen from the Hawaiian monarchy during the illegal overthrow) UH pays only a token dollar per year rent.
Those opposing construction of yet another mammoth telescope on the mountain say, "Go bulldoze your own temple." A particularly apropos simile on the Christian's Good Friday.
Tue Apr 07, 2015 at 4:16 PM PT: Apr 7: Today Gov Ige called a one week "time-out" to construction for more discussion and to take into account the fact that construction went ahead while court challenges had not been resolved.