Logs detail bad behavior by some Hawaii telescope protesters

“The over-arching safety issue for us right now is that at any given time protesters can block the road dropping people above including observatory staff and create a medical emergency that way”, said Doug Simon, an astronomer.

The University of Hawaii has released logs kept by Mauna Kea rangers and employees at the visitors center. Some protest leaders have denied wrongdoing on the parts of the protestors, and some spokespeople insist that anything bad that is happening is due to a very small minority of protestors on Mauna Kea. It is necessary to implement rules restricting protesters’ access on the mountain, at least a mile, he said during the meeting of state’s Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday.

An overflow crowd outside a Board of Land and Natural Resources meeting in Honolulu on Friday, July 10, 2015, watches a video feed of testimony about a state proposal that would limit the ability of protesters to access Mauna Kea. And so protests continued even as construction had begun, and will continue despite the curfew – the leaders of the protests fully expect that this will not be a hinderance to them, and that they can remain vigil on the mountain. The logs unveil list of incidents by protestors, including a bomb threat made on Facebook and protestors made throat-cut gesture at workers.

“Everything has been pono,” he said, using the Hawaiian term for proper or respectful behavior. “There are many examples of protesters stepping in and helping mitigate situations”.

On April 21, the woman who yelled “kill the haoles, kill the tourists”, according to the logs, calmed down when visitor center staff asked four other protesters for help: “They offered aid willingly and apologized for the woman’s behavior and language”.

The $1.4 billion project would be the 14th telescope atop Mauna Kea. More than 40 protesters were arrested during the two days that crews unsuccessfully attempted to restart construction.

Chris Yuen, a a part of the surf board, announced they are in need of the features to keep purchase toward the mountain.

Kanuha said as the protests have continued, the interest in their movement has grown.