Occupy Honolulu protesters made a scene in Waikiki on Saturday afternoon, marching through the streets and surprising hotel guests by carrying their anti-corporate message into the lobby of the Hyatt Regency.
The rally was to celebrate International Human Rights Day. The protesters peacefully marched from the corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Kuhio Avenue to the Hyatt, where they did a “mic check” inside the hotel.
Calling the Hyatt Recency Hotel in Waikiki “one of the most abusive employers in the hotel industry,” Occupy protesters said the hotel has violated the human rights.
“They refuse to provide safe workspaces for hotel housekeepers … and they insist on outsourcing and subcontracting work,” protesters chanted. Occupy members also called out the hotel for being owned Goldman Sachs and the Pritzker family — both part of the 1 percent, they said.
But some Occupy protesters were dismayed at the low turnout for the march. Nonetheless, they felt their message about human rights was heard.
Occupy Honolulu members held signs saying “people not profit,” “close Guantanamo Prison,” “Bill 54 violates human rights,” and walked silently on the sidewalks of Kalakaua Avenue.
Some hotel guests gave protesters the “shaka” while receptionists paused from their work to gaze at the protesters.
But within minutes Hyatt security guards asked protesters to leave and escorted them out of the hotel. Security officers declined to comment on the protest.
The protest was mostly quiet and was over in an hour.
Recently Occupy Honolulu protesters have been trying hard to get the public’s attention and support. Last weekend, protesters sneaked into Honolulu’s City Lights parade to take advantage of the large audience that had gathered.
Occupy Honolulu has also come under fire from the city. The Honolulu City Council this week passed a sidewalk possessions ban that could affect Occupy members who have built part of their encampment on the sidewalk outside Thomas Square Park. Mayor Peter Carlisle signed Bill 54 into law on Friday.
The new law allows the city to confiscate all personal belongings left or kept on public property for more than 24 hours.
So far, it’s unclear if the city will use the sidewalk bill to force Occupy protesters at Thomas Square Park to disband. Occupy members indicated that they thought the law is “more likely to affect the houseless people.”
Still, Occupy members said they are looking into the other ways to continue the movement.
Saturday’s march into the Hyatt lobby perhaps offers a preview. When asked why the protesters went inside the hotel, Todd Hammond, one of Occupy Honolulu’s key members, replied “because they can’t hear us from outside.”
Watch a video capturing scenes from the march and the “mic check”:
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