(BIVN) – Several opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope project chained themselves to the hard, cattle guard grate on the Mauna Kea Access Road, in defiance of the billion dollar observatory project planned for Mauna Kea.

Today was the scheduled start of construction on the TMT. The Mauna Kea Access Road was set to be closed by state officials in order to facilitate the transport of equipment up the mountain to the project site. However, the Ku Kiaʻi Mauna movement effectively closed the road first, with kupuna seated at the entrance to the road and a handful of others chained to the cattle guard further up the road.

In this video, Kaleikoa Kaʻeo, laying on the ground next to Walter Ritte, talks about the day’s action.

As of the posting of this video they remain chained to the spot.