Hawaii activists get ready for Hawaii telescope convoys

MAUNA KEA, Hawaii (AP) — Some Native Hawaiian groups say they are preparing to protect Hawaii’s tallest mountain from an attempt to resume construction of a giant telescope.

They say they will gather peacefully at the base of Mauna Kea. The road to the summit will be closed Monday morning as trucks carrying construction equipment start to make their way to the peak.

State officials say anyone breaking the law will be arrested. Protesters have been arrested during previous construction attempts.

After years of legal battles, the state Supreme Court upheld the project’s construction permit.

Scientists say the Thirty Meter Telescope will help them peer back to the time just after the Big Bang and answer fundamental questions about the universe.

The site is world-renowned for astronomy. It’s also considered sacred by some Native Hawaiians.