Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘uhuluhulu Maunakea, leaders of the protests on Mauna Kea, are calling for a federal investigation into the state’s enforcement of Thirty Meter Telescope opponents and asking for the removal of a Hawaii County police officer who they said spread misinformation.

Protesters released a video statement Tuesday alleging that the state is using enforcement tactics that “harass, intimidate and vilify Mauna Kea protectors.” They provided a list of so-called “questionable” law enforcement actions, including the use of sobriety checkpoints, more vehicles parked in and around the blockade, and complaints of high beams and a low-flying helicopter over the kupuna camp.

They also provided the media with video and audio evidence of what they allege is a Hawaii County police officer providing false information to Mauna Kea protester Michael Glendon “in an apparent attempt to provoke him to retaliate against two supposed informants in our puuhonua.”

The hui did not name the Hawaii County officer, but in a review of the materials, the Honolulu Star­-Advertiser identified him as officer Justin Gaspar.

Protest leader Andre Perez said actions by the state and law enforcement “appear to be aimed at misrepresenting our peaceful movement” and lead the public to “believe that we are lawless and dangerous in order to justify the use of force to remove us.”

“We call upon the proper investigative authorities, including the FBI or other agencies, to address or investigate the current law enforcement strategy that appears to be aimed at misrepresenting our peaceful movement,” said Perez, who did not name Gaspar, but demanded his immediate removal “as his actions are irresponsible and place all of us at risk.”

Alan Richmond, Hawaii Police Department spokesman, declined to comment Tuesday.

Krishna F. Jayaram, special assistant to state attorney general, said Tuesday that protesters have not filed any formal complaints, but added, “If there is misconduct, we will certainly investigate.”

Gov. David Ige’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Protesters said they will share evidence of the alleged misconduct with law enforcement at their request. However, they’ve already released a Sept. 8 video to the media where Gaspar appears to tell Glendon what led to the state’s Sept. 6 decision to tear down an illegal structure near the camp.

“You guys get a bunch of (obscenity) enemies working against you guys. And I talking about from within your guysʻ place,” Gaspar said in the video released by Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘uhuluhulu Maunakea.

“So the information that we got that day was that you guys was goinʻ put kids inside the building and then was goinʻ have one guy inside with one gun, waiting for us come inside and … and do … whatever, they was goin’ shoot it out with the police and the … the reasoning was going be was for protect the kids,” Gaspar said.

In two subsequent audio calls with Glendon, Gaspar also appears to name the alleged informants as Earl Deleon and Noe Noe Kekaualua. However, both denied informing on Glendon in Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘uhuluhulu’s video statement.

Protest leaders said Tuesday that the “purposeful sharing of false information” has a “high potential to provoke conflict between protectors” and could be part of a broader attempt “to create a false pretext for the use of force on our peaceful protectors.”

Jayaram said in an emailed statement Tuesday that the state is “not harassing, intimidating or vilifying anyone — illegal conduct is illegal conduct and law enforcement needs to do what it needs to do in order to keep everyone safe. No matter the reason for the blockade of the road, it is illegal and law enforcement has shown restraint so that the entire state can work towards a peaceful resolution.”

Tensions on the mountain have escalated since July 15 when TMT opponents gathered at Mauna Kea Access Road. Mauna Kea is considered sacred by some Hawaiians, and the protesters believe the construction of the telescope would be a desecration.

There were 38 people arrested July 17 when they blocked the roadway to prevent construction equipment from reaching the summit to begin site work for the TMT project. Two more were arrested during the Sept. 6 structure removal, which raised heightened emotions when a Hawaiian flag was cut, although officials said they had no choice.

Rumors of an imminent sweep have grown since Friday’s news conference where Ige decried death threats connected to TMT made on his life and others in his administration. The FBI issued an alert Saturday afternoon in connection with a related social media post that invited people to a “mass shooting in the Hawaii state capitol” — although no violence happened and the author of the thread has since been located and eliminated as a threat.

Star-Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief Kevin Dayton contributed to this story.