Police arrest wind farm protesters at Kalaeloa as turbine blades depart for Kahuku

Credit: By Mark Ladao | Honolulu Star-Advertiser | Oct. 20, 2019 | www.staradvertiser.com ~~

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Police personnel and protesters against the Na Pua Makani wind farm project gathered in Kalaeloa tonight.

Update, 12:49 a.m.

The chained protester was cut from the gate and arrested around 12:40 a.m. today. He was identified as an 18-year-old with a health condition that protesters wanted a medical professional to attend to.

Three trucks carrying the blades for the wind turbines left around 12:50 a.m. with a caravan of police vehicles. They’ll travel via the H-2 and Kamehameha Highway to get to Kahuku.

11:55 p.m.

A protester chained and duct-taped himself by the neck to a gate about 100 feet behind the main protest group at around 11:40 p.m.

A construction truck was moved in front of him, blocking protesters’ view of him.

Protesters asked police to move the construction truck or to have a legal observer or medical professional attend to him, but police did not allow anyone else to go. Police are attending to him.

“Please move the truck. … We need to make sure you’re not mistreating him,” one protester said via megaphone.

10:45 p.m.

Police have started arresting protesters in Kalaeloa.

Like Thursday night, they have zip-tied and duct-taped themselves to each other and are having police officers carry them to transport vehicles. They are stationed near the AES facility from which turbine parts including tower sections are to depart for Kahuku.

About 25 protesters lined the road that trucks carrying wind turbine equipment pass through to get to Kahuku.

The number of police and protesters is about the same as Thursday night.

AES is permitted to deliver turbine parts from Sunday nights through Friday mornings between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

10 p.m.

About 70 Honolulu Police personnel and over 70 protesters against the Na Pua Makani wind farm project have gathered in Kalaeloa tonight for the first time after 55 protesters were arrested Thursday and Friday.

Over 20 opponents of the project have lined up on the road and are prepared to get arrested tonight to prevent wind turbine parts from leaving Kapolei.

Over 40 police officers on bicycles and a large caravan of vehicles are standing off against the protesters.

AES Corp., the contractor for the wind farm, is looking to build eight 568-foot wind turbines in Kahuku in North Shore. There are already 12 shorter turbines in 2,300-person community.

Source: By Mark Ladao | Honolulu Star-Advertiser | Oct. 20, 2019 | www.staradvertiser.com

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