To whom does 'Iolani Palace rightfully belong?

Various protesters, who recently have placed the palace at the heart of their Native Hawaiian sovereignty campaigns, believe the palace belongs to a reinstated kingdom government.

In that it was the site of the monarchy overthrow in 1893, and the place where the last monarch herself was imprisoned, it's clear why the beautiful residence, ranked among the finest examples of Italianate architecture in the world, stands at the emotional center of the Hawaiian self-governance movement.

But none of that sentimental and spiritual alignment between Native Hawaiians and the palace corrects the terrible wrong that was done at the historic monument over the Admissions Day weekend.

It was a disruption that demands a unified call from everyone who loves the palace — including Hawaiian groups — to stop these ugly intrusions into this repository of cultural treasures.

Topping the list of horrors from Friday is the witness-backed testimony that three men from the group shoved and struck a palace employee as she approached to escort a visitor on the grounds.

Equally distressing was the report that a police sergeant at the scene refused to help, saying the Honolulu Police Department had no jurisdiction to intervene in a property overseen by state Department of Land and Natural Resources security officers.

A further allegation is that

a call to 911 elicited a statement that the palace

fracas was beyond the

police bailiwick.

A total of 23 were arrested Friday, but the follow-up must go further than that, with full public disclosure. HPD's investigation must answer all questions about what orders guided police actions that day.

Gov. Linda Lingle voiced concern about the possibility of "a serious breakdown in the law enforcement oath that people take."

She's right. 'Iolani Palace has a powerful draw for visitors, who may approach it as a curiosity at first but finish their tour enlightened about an impressive era in Hawaiian history.

It's also a reminder to kama'aina, who can be quick to forget the legacy left by the Hawaiian ali'i.

And all those people who come to the palace must have the expectation that law enforcement agencies — city as well as state — will keep them secure.

Police Chief Boisse Correa yesterday asserted that HPD shares security jurisdiction — a critical point, with palace reopening set for tomorrow.

To whom does the palace belong? It was the private residence of the royal line; those who would make it a target for seizure as the Native Hawaiian "seat of government," as the protest groups want to do, distort history. The kingdom's seat of government was across King Street, in Ali'iolani Hale, not the palace.

In the century since the overthrow, great efforts have been made to restore the palace — plundered and mistreated during territorial and early statehood days — to its former glory.

People all over the state and around the world have contributed, lovingly and lavishly, to maintain this treasure. In some measure, the palace belongs to all of them, and to all the people of Hawai'i.