The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has requested for emergency rules that could help remove protestors of the construction of Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) from the Mauna Kea.

The attorney for the Mauna Kea Hui, who claimed that they were denied access to exercise their religious, cultural and traditional practices on Mauna Kea, has sent a letter to the Attorney General of the State of Hawaii, Douglas Chin, to challenge the legalities.

It was found that several protestors gathered to prevent the construction of the TMT. It is said that the protestors came with something more than just signs and symbols of protest.

Source familiar with the issue told that the protestors brought blankets, backpacks and even bathrooms to the observatory access road, which were needed as the protest stretched on for days then weeks.

Attorney General Doug Chin said, “It is a forest reserve. It is a hunting area. All of this is not conducive for people to be there overnight for a long period of time. It has created a threat to natural resources and public safety”.

As per officials, the new emergency rules will not allow people to bring in backpacks, blankets and other camping gear on any land within one mile of Mauna Kea's access road. Instead, they will restrict people from being there between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

TMT protestors feel that the new rules are not meant to stop illegal camping, but to stop them.

Kaho'okahi Kanuha said the things which officials are targeting are the ones they already have, and the rules are intended to make their efforts more difficult.