Prosecutors declined to press charges against group of Kapiolani hospital protesters

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A group of people arrested during a protest over the nurse lockout at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children last month is celebrating that prosecutors declined to press charges.
The group calls themselves “Kapiolani 10.”
Some say the law could encourage more acts of civil disobedience during labor conflicts.
On Monday, the prosecuting attorney’s office announced it declined to file charges against the 10 because of a “lack of evidence to prove the cases beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Police arrested them last month for “obstructing” when they sat on the sidewalk fronting Kapiolani Medical Center last month.
No nurses were arrested, but the 10 included Ikaika Hussey, a Democratic candidate for state House.
READ MORE: 10 arrested during nurses demonstration at Kapiolani Medical Center
“Unions are really at the front line, and when they win victories, it helps everybody,” he said.
State representative-elect Kim Coco Iwamoto says it was her first arrest.
“It’s really important that the community recognize that they do have a right to non-violent civil disobedience,” said Iwamoto.
Under Hawaii law, obstructing occurs when a person “provides less than thirty-six inches of space for passage on any paved public sidewalk.”
On that day, Hawaii News Now documented the protest and arrests. A bus with travel nurses couldn’t drive through, but officers walked around the protestors on the sidewalk.
“I basically informed them that hey, what you have here is not a violation of the obstruction statute,” said attorney Bill Harrison.
“They reviewed the statute. You are right, so we are going to have to dismiss the cases,” he said.
As Hilton hotel workers continue their month-long strike and potential nursing and other worker conflicts percolate at other institutions, these community activists think more people, including politicians, could peacefully protest after seeing what happened to them.
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.