In 2008, two attempts were made by groups involved in the Hawaiian sovereignty movement to occupy ʻIolani Palace in downtown Honolulu in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi.
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On April 30, 2008, 35 unarmed members of the Hawaiian Kingdom Government blocked the five perimeter gates. HDPS and HPD arrived outside the palace walls. The activists allowed the 12 palace employees caught in the takeover to move freely and leave under the condition they could not take their vehicles, parked on the palace grounds. Taking prisoners was not the activists’ objective nor did they want to cause a hostage crisis. Police chief Boisse Correa met with activist leaders and officials let the protest burn itself out.
| Statehood Day Takeover | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Iolani Palace |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Kingdom of Hawaii Nation | State of Hawaii | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| James Kimo Akahi | Boisse Correa[1] Kippen de Alba Chu[1] |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 27 | HPD |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 23 captured | 1 wounded | ||||||
On August 15, 2008, independence proponents occupied Iolani Palace for four hours. The attempted coup happened on Hawaii Admission Day 2008. On August 15, 2008, 4:30 in the afternoon, 27 members of the Kingdom of Hawaii Nation Ministry Trust, a national-independence faction, stormed the grounds of Iolani Palace. The group was led by Akahi Nui, 15 to 20 members wore red shirts with “SECURITY” printed in yellow on the backs while higher ranking members wore black.[2] The mission of the group was to establish the palace as a new seat of government, undermine the State government, and declare the independence of Hawaii from the United States.
The six to ten palace employees under the command of Kippen de Alba Chu locked down the buildings and locked themselves inside the administrative building.[2] Facilities manager Noelani Ah Yuen attempted to stop the intruders from locking the east gate and was injured, she withdrew into the administrative building. The group flew their flag and entering Iolani Barracks and Palace.
During the takeover a city police officer refused to stop the coup but responded that he could not intervene because of jurisdiction, the palace grounds are state property hence enforced by the state police, the HDPS. Police chief Boisse Correa rejected claims his men committed wrongdoing.
Following the attack, plans have been made for improved security of the palace. Two group members were charged with assault and six with burglary, the only conviction was of trespassing.
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