State Operation blocks off Stainback Highway and violates free speech rights for Kulani Prison Reactivation ceremony
State Operation blocks off Stainback Highway and violates free speech rights for Kulani Prison Reactivation ceremony
Dear State & County officials and County prosecutor:
Please investigate the violation of citizen civil rights today
The State Sheriff’s Dept, together with DLNR blocked off the State Stainback highway at the North Kulani Rd intersection approximately 8-10 miles from the Kulani prison main gate. They were checking everyone’s ID against an invitation list to the ceremony to allow them to proceed. We of Ohana Ho’opakele were all blocked from proceeding to the main gate area to conduct our peaceful protest of the Kulani reactivation ceremony and even a hunter who wanted to look for his lost dog was turned away. When I asked the head Sheriff guy –“By what authority are you blocking public access on a state highway?” He pointed to his badge and said it was a “state operation.”
Please investigate this violation of our civil liberties to travel on a state highway to peacefully protest the State’s failure to follow Act 117 that said Kulani should be the site of a Pu’uhonua unless a better site can be found, and that the state should be working with Ohana Ho’opakele to establish the Pu’uhonua.
This police State tactic by the Sheriffs Dept. and DLNR is shameful. Even the County police were involved. They showed up and yielded to the Sheriffs Dept. Police Officer B. Watanabe badge # 113 was one of the police present.
Mahalo.
Jim Albertini
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Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org www.malu-aina.org
