tagged w/ Iolani Palace
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Police and state law enforcement officers last night arrested 20 members of a group that occupied 'Iolani Palace grounds yesterday and broke into the palace as staff members locked themselves inside.
Members of the group struck a female palace staff member, causing minor injuries. They also locked gates around the palace, broke into the adjacent 'Iolani Barracks building and raised their flag on the barracks flagpole.
The group issued a statement claiming to have "reoccupied the throne of Hawai'i." Its leader was identified as Akahi Nui.
The action took place on Statehood Day, an observance of Hawai'i becoming the 50th state on Aug. 21, 1959.
The group is unrelated to the Hawaiian Kingdom Government, which has occupied part of the palace grounds since April.
State law enforcement officers and police officers entered the palace grounds about 8:30 p.m. and began arresting the group's members, who did not resist.
About 6:30 p.m., the group let reporters onto the palace grounds for about an hour. A spokesman, Alfred Love, said he was a federal marshal. He said he "placed the kingdom under federal protective custody" and has asked the U.S. Congress to determine that the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii was illegal.
"Our plan is to take the palace for the crown," Love said. "Our flag is now over the guard house, the flag has not flown since before 1892. We plan to be here forever."
Akahi Nui is identified as the king of Hawai'i on the Web site www.freehawaii.org, which describes the group as "advocates of the restoration of Hawaiian Sovereignty under His Royal Majesty Akahi Nui, heir to the Hawaiian throne."
The Web site states that Akahi Nui is a great-nephew of Queen Lili'uokalani. It goes on to describe him as "acknowledged by major sovereignty groups; recognized as Hawaii's King by the World Court; recognized by the United Nations ..."
The Web site also states that "what the Hawaiians had and Majesty wishes to restore is a Constitutional Monarchy. A King who loves and respects his people is better than an elected official, who'll do anything to satisfy the 50.001 (percent) and maintain his personal power."Police and state law enforcement officers last night arrested 20 members of a group... more
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