Native Hawaiian Protesters End March,
 Burn 50th Star On U.S. Flag In Protest
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Condensed by Native Village

Hawaii: More than 300 protesters united in a Native Hawaiian rally during Hawaii's 50th anniversary celebration of United States statehood.

Protesters lined Honolulu sidewalks shouting and blowing conch shells as passing motorists honked their horns.

Some spoke in detail about how the Hawaiian monarchy was illegally overthrown and taken by the United States.

Others were seen carrying upside-down Hawaiian flags.

At the Convention Center, some knocked the hat off a 12-foot-tall Uncle Sam effigy.  The hat carried feathers representing countries which fell under U.S. imperialism. It did not include a Hawaiin feather. Protestors also removed a U.S. flag from the hat, cut off the 50th star, and set it on fire.

Lynette Cruz, an event organizer, wants people to understand the facts: the U.S. overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom made Hawaii's statehood an illegal action. Cruz hopes the protests will open new discussions and dialogues about the future. 

"We're trying not to engage in hate speech," she said. "That's not it. This is not driven by hate.  [Hawaiian statehood] is illegal, it's immoral, and it's not real."

The march was put on by the Hawaiian Independence Action Alliance. HIAA represents Native Hawaiian political factions that want self-determination and independence for Hawaiians. They also do not recognize the legality of the state of Hawaii.