Hundreds of people on the island of Hawaii are demonstrating this week against building a telescope on the top of the mountain Mauna Kea. The protesters say the land at the top of the mountain is holy. Scientists say it is perfect for a huge telescope that will help them answer basic questions about the universe. This week’s demonstrations came after state officials said they would close the road to the top of Mauna Kea. Workers planned to use the road to start bringing construction equipment for the telescope. As a result, a group of protesters began blocking the road early Monday morning. Some elders sat on chairs and tied themselves together with rope. Other protesters lay on the ground and chained themselves to metal bars. They stayed until police went home in the afternoon. No one was arrested. Work on the telescope did not begin. One activist said lying on the road for 11 hours was difficult. “It was so cold at 4 o’clock in the morning,” said Walter Ritte. “It was a test of our fortitude. This mountain is like our last stand.”
