(ABOVE VIDEO) Raw video of the moment Lanakila Mangauil stormed the Thirty Meter Telescope site, before other protesters crashed the event and stopped the planned groundbreaking. Video by David Corrigan.

NEWS BRIEFS

• The planned groundbreaking for the $1.4 billion dollar Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Mauna Kea was halted on Tuesday, when protesters made their way up the mountain to stop the proceedings.
• Opponents of the TMT challenged the law and the state’s right to block the road, eventually blocking the road themselves. International dignitaries from TMT partner countries were delayed en route to the ceremony. Some officials, like Governor Neil Abercrombie and Mayor Billy Kenoi, never made it to the summit.
• When event guests eventually made it to the summit area, organizers hastily arranged to go forward with the ceremony, but were not able to get underway before an irate Lanakila Mangauil stormed the TMT site – in his bare feet – halting the ceremony. Mangauil was eventually joined by supporters and together they stopped the groundbreaking.
• The live broadcast was thrown into disarray by the many delays and interruptions.
• TMT officials have not said whether or not they plan to reschedule the ceremony at a later date.

Big Island Video News will soon have complete coverage of this incident.