Despite a handful of arrests, officers and protesters treat each other well. But this week’s attempt to resume construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope gets off to a rocky start with boulders strewn across the mountain road, forcing its closure.

UPDATED Construction of the telescope is on hold until further notice after Native Hawaiians and others prevent crews from reaching the project site.

Opposition group says it will be “forced to protect the Mauna with our bodies.”

UPDATED: UH President David Lassner and UH Hilo Chancellor Donald Straney said they are prepared to “stop talking, start doing.”

Gov. David Ige wants the University of Hawaii to provide better stewardship of Mauna Kea. Meanwhile, telescope opponents aren’t going away.

The Associated Press reported that the prosecutor plans to drop charges against about 10 people who were charged with trespassing on Mauna Kea.

UPDATE: University of Hawaii President David Lassner agrees stewardship of the mountain can be improved.

But the trustees decline to go on record as opposing the $1.4 billion project.

The Wednesday event at TMT headquarters coincided with a meeting of project partners.

Supporters, opponents of what will be the biggest observatory on Mauna Kea disagree over the value of assurances in the environmental impact statement.