Two Telescope Protestors Convicted
Ronald Fujiyoshi was sentenced to five days in jail and Linda Leilani Lindsey-Kaapuni must perform 100 hours of community service.
Ronald Fujiyoshi and Linda Leilani Lindsey-Kaapuni were convicted Thursday for blocking access to Mauna Kea in protest of the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope.
that 75-year-old Fujiyoshi was sentenced to five days in jail with four days suspended and one day credit for time served.
Fujiyoshi could return to jail for the four days if he violates his six-month probation.
Lindsey-Kaapuni, age 55, received 100 hours of community service.
Both Fujiyoshi and Lindsey-Kaapuni were arrested on April 2 as part of large protest against the construction of the TMT on Mauna Kea, which many Native Hawaiians consider sacred.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported that many more protestors, who prefer to be called protectors, are up for bench trials in Waimea District Court.
The Thirty Meter Telescope is a $1.4 billion observatory that received state approval to be constructed on top of Mauna Kea after a seven-year process. The telescope has inspired strong opposition by those concerned about its cultural and environmental impact, and a lawsuit challenging the project is pending before the state Supreme Court.
