‘The Rock’ Visits Mauna Kea on Day 10 of TMT Protests

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson., July 24, 2019. PC: Darde Gamayo

UPDATE: 1:27 PM, July 24, 2019

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was greeted with lei, chanting and hula performances as he circulated among the protestors atop Mauna Kea early this afternoon, July 24, 2019.

The high-profile actor spoke to several protest leaders and kūpuna.

“This is about more than a telescope,” he said. “This is about the Hawaiian culture.”

When asked what he thinks needs to be done to resolve this ongoing issue, The Rock said, “A greater leadership needs to step in.”

When asked, what it meant for him to be here today, he said, “It’s beautiful. It’s inspiring. We always say there is aloha spirit, mana here in the islands. That’s something I always carry with me around the world.

“I always tell people, you have to come here to experience it,” he said. “But specifically coming here to Maunakea, what I realize today—it’s bigger then a telescope. It’s humanity; its a culture. It is our people, our Polynesian people willing to die here to protect this land.”

Johnson spent much of his childhood in the islands and visits frequently.