ACLU Hawaii Sends Recommendations to Officials Regarding TMT Protestors

The ACLU of Hawaii sent a letter to local law enforcement officials, the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources and the state attorney general in anticipation of the likely protests and acts of civil disobedience likely to occur atop Maunakea by those who oppose the TMT project that is set to begin on Monday, July 15, 2019.

In an email, the ACLU of Hawaii said, “Though the ACLU of Hawaii takes no position on the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on top of Mauna Kea, the construction restarting the week of Monday, July 15, 2019, and the likely protests and acts of civil disobedience that will likely engender a law enforcement response are of concern to us.”

In the letter, the ACLU of Hawaiʻi reached out to local law enforcement with recommendations on how to fulfill their dual responsibilities to both protect the rights of protesters and maintain public safety.

The letter can be downloaded here and can also be found online.