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Wind farm protesters arrested as they blockade access road for construction vehicles
Credit: The protesters oppose construction of a proposed wind farm in Kahuku that will have eight massive new turbines. | By Blaze Lovell | Honolulu Civil Beat | www.civilbeat.org ~~
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At least 14 arrests were made as of 12.30 a.m. Friday morning as a group of at least 100 protesters blocked an access road in Kalauloa to prevent construction vehicles from transporting turbines and other equipment to a controversial wind farm project in Kahuku.
More arrests are expected. Those arrested were charged with misdemeanors, according to protestors.
Some protesters had prepared earlier in the evening by zip-tying and duct taping themselves to one another in order to make their removal more difficult. About 20 protesters sat on the ground singing Onipaa Kako, which is frequently sung at recent Hawaiian protests, as police got into position to arrest them. Others were carrying Hawaiian flags.
They call themselves kiai, or protectors, in the spirit of the protesters on Mauna Kea who for the last three months have halted the start of the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope.
Police ordered the crowd three times to vacate the area or risk arrest.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday night, a large contingent of several dozen officers closed off the intersection of Hanua and Malakole streets leading to the protest site.
Police ordered the crowd three times to vacate the area or risk arrest.
About 20 protesters sat on the ground singing Onipaa Kako, which is frequently sung at recent Hawaiian protests, as police got into position to arrest them.
Police placed zip ties on the wrists of those arrested and carried them to waiting police vans.
The large vehicles carrying the turbines are only scheduled to travel on Oahu roads between 11 p.m.and 5 a.m.
Wind Farm Generates Vocal Opposition
A community group in Kahuku have been fighting the proposal to install eight new wind turbines, which at 568 feet would be the tallest turbines in the state, in the area. There are a dozen existing turbines in the area.
Opponents have been camped near the Kahuku site for the last week.
ASE Corp, which is building the Na Pua Makani wind farm, says it has properly followed all the steps needed to win approval for the project.
UPDATED: After the arrests, four construction trucks carrying sections of turbines left for the wind farm site in Kahuku but were later blocked by a downed power pole that HECO says was intentionally cut down.
[rest of article available at source]
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