Mauna Kea Is The Latest In Long History Of Native Hawaiian Protests Civil disobedience and arrests have been a key part of Native Hawaiian activism since the 1970s. Here's a look at why many Native Hawaiians don't want a giant telescope on the summit of Mauna Kea… The Thirty Meter Telescope protests are a series of protests and demonstrations that began on the Island of Hawaii in the United States over the choosing of Mauna Kea for the site location of the Thirty Meter Telescope.Mauna Kea is considered by some Hawaiians to be the most sacred mountain of Native Hawaiian religion and culture. The summit of Mauna Kea is sacred to Native Hawaiians, many of whom don't want the telescope on the land, fearing its construction could destroy sites and harm the community.