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Honolulu bomb threat: What happened at Hawaii State Capitol amid ‘No Dictators’ protest; cops give key update
Honolulu authorities evacuated a No Dictators protest at the State Capitol due to bomb threats. Police confirmed no explosives were found.
Authorities in Honolulu evacuated the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on Saturday morning following a reported bomb threat. The bomb threat prompted road closures and the relocation of a planned protest, police confirmed in a Facebook post.
The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) said officers assisted state sheriffs in clearing the building at around 9:50 a.m. local time, while urging the public to avoid the area as investigations continued.
Local Hawaii media, KHON 2, reported that the planned protest that the authorities shut down was the “No Dictators” protest movement.
Hawaii News Now reported that thousands were expected to take part in ‘No Dictators’ protests from Thomas Square Park to the State Capitol on Saturday.
Read more: No Kings Protest in numbers: How many people are marching in anti-Trump rallies?
HPD provides all-clear on evacuation, protest disruption
Police shut down multiple streets surrounding the Capitol, including Punchbowl, Richards, Miller and Beretania, creating significant disruption in downtown Honolulu.
The evacuation came as the Capitol was set to host a local edition of the nationwide “No Kings” protest movement, which has drawn large crowds across the United States.
According to the post shared by the HPD, demonstrators were safely redirected to the nearby ʻIolani Palace grounds while authorities assessed the situation.
No injuries have been reported, and police have not yet confirmed whether any explosive device was found. Authorities deployed canine units and the Special Services Division to investigate the reported threat.
After a thorough search, officials confirmed that no explosive device was found and there was no threat to public safety.
“The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) and the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) has reopened all roadways, as well the Hawaiʻi State Capitol…There is no threat to the public," the police said in an official update.
Following the all-clear, demonstrators were allowed to return to the Capitol and resume the protest.
Read more: No Kings Protest live update: Videos from Philadelphia, New York, Jersey - Watch
“No Kings” protests across the US
The event took place in the midst of nationwide "No Kings" protests, in which protesters were mobilizing against Donald Trump's administration's policies.
Millions of people have participated in protests addressing concerns like immigration enforcement, economic policy, and civil liberties, and thousands of events have been organized throughout the United States.
