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Protesters arrested blocking road to giant telescope site

HONOLULU (AP) — Protesters on Hawaii’s Big Island have been blocking the road to a mountain peak where one of the world’s largest telescopes is being built.

Hawaii County police spokeswoman Chris Loos says some people have been arrested for blocking the road to the Mauna Kea summit.

The mountain is held sacred by Native Hawaiians, and opponents tried to prevent the construction of the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope. They questioned whether land appraisals were done correctly and whether Native Hawaiian groups had been consulted.

Protests disrupted a groundbreaking and Hawaiian blessing ceremony last year.

Astronomers say Mauna Kea is the ideal location for observing the most distant parts of the universe.


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