The Office of Hawaiian Affairs says some of its staff members were forcibly removed from the lobby by 12 people.
(AP) — The Office of Hawaiian Affairs says 12 people forced their way into the state agency’s lobby and assaulted two staff members.
A statement from the agency says the 12 forcibly removed staff members from the lobby of their Honolulu office and occupied the lobby.
Honolulu police say four men ranging in age from 27 to 62 were arrested and booked for third-degree assault.
Police officers talk to men wearing “federal marshal” T-shirts near an entrance to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on Thursday.
Cory Lum/Civil Beat
Trustee Kelii Akina says he received messages from his staff to stay away from the building and that other trustees there at the time were evacuated.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a semi-autonomous state agency tasked with improving the conditions of Native Hawaiians. There are nine publicly elected trustees.
The incident occurred on the anniversary of the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom.
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