HONOLULU, HAWAII - Hawaiian sovereignty activists calling themselves the "Hawaiian Kingdom Government" surrounded Iolani Palace this morning, refusing to let state employees either enter or exit the historical site, saying the palace and surrounding grounds are property of the "Hawaiian Kingdom."
An unknown amount of state employees who work in the state archives division were trapped inside this morning, according to Russ Saito, head of the Department of Accounting and General Services, but since were allowed to leave, his office reports. The dozen employees who work there were sent home for the day. But several had their cars on site and cannot get them out of the palace parking lot. Saito says there are enough protesters to block with a human chain all five entrances and exits to the palace. They also locked the palace gates with their own locks.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is in charge of enforcement in the area. Laura Thielen, this agency's director, says "A group of about 35 persons have barred the public from entering the grounds of Iolani Palace, claiming sovereign rights over the area. The Department of Land and Natural Resources State Parks, which manages the palace in cooperation with the Friends of Iolani Palace is closing the area. DLNR enforcement offices are working to fully assess the situation and are talking with the protesters to peacefully end the protest. We will continue to update the public as we get more information."
The palace's web site describes the palace as "A Hawaiian national treasure and the only official state residence of royalty in the United States, `Iolani Palace was the official residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom's last two monarchs--King Kalakaua, who built the Palace in 1882, and his sister and successor, Queen Lili`uokalani. During the monarchy period, the Palace was the center of social and political activity in the Kingdom of Hawaii. Though its grandeur was neglected after the overthrow of the monarchy, restoration began in the 1970s through efforts of concerned individuals. Restoration and preservation continues, and, as a result, today's visitors to this National Historic Landmark in downtown Honolulu enjoy one of the most precise historic restorations and learn much about Hawaiian history and heritage."
 |
|
Tom McAuliffe, who works across the street, says he arrived at work this morning at 8 a.m. for the near last day of the 2008 Legislative session and found the gates to the palace locked with signs posted saying the place now belongs to the "Reinstated Hawaiian Kingdom."
"I asked to be allowed to pass on to the grounds and was told that only native Hawaiians were allowed in and that I needed to show an 'OHA registration card' or recite my family genealogy. When I explained that the Kingdom was multi-racial and that a distant relative (an Irish whaler) was a citizen of the kingdom I was told that did not matter. We then called the police (both Public Safety and Honolulu Police Department) at around 8:45 a.m. but it took quite a while for them to arrive on scene. The state Sheriff's department showed up at 11:15 a.m. - but at 12:15, there was still no Honolulu Police on site. My assertion to the protesters was that the Palace belongs to all the people of Hawaii nei, but that also fell on deaf ears."
Photos by Mel Ah Ching and Daniel de Gracia. Reach Malia Zimmerman, editor of Hawaii Reporter, at mailto:Malia@hawaiireporter.com
