Hawaii
Bikinis, surfboards and battle-axes? Hawaii loosens long-strict weapons laws after court ruling
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s tourist hotspot of Waikiki is known for bikinis, shopping and surfboards. But resident Andrew Roberts has recently introduced a different item on evening walks through his neighborhood: a long-poled battle-axe.
Roberts, director of the nonprofit Hawaii Firearms Coalition, has been taking the 15th-century-style European halberd on strolls since May. That’s when Hawaii loosened its weapons laws in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense.
The so-called Bruen decision upended gun laws nationwide, but especially in Hawaii, which long had some of the country’s toughest restrictions — and some of the lowest rates of gun violence.
A subsequent federal appeals court ruling applied Bruen to the state’s ban on butterfly knives and found it unconstitutional. While that case and others related to Hawaii’s weapons laws continue to be litigated, lawmakers responded this year by passing a measure that generally allows deadly or dangerous weapons to be openly carried in public. Previously, anyone found armed with them was subject to immediate arrest.
The new law is providing opportunities for some to connect with Native Hawaiian and other cultures through traditional weapons. It’s also generating concern that as the display of weapons becomes more common, people will be more likely to use them.
Roberts called himself a “true believer in the Second Amendment.” He said his walks with the halberd or a shorter battle-axe help promote awareness of the laws and ensure police don’t give him a hard time about being armed with unusual weapons.
“I get stopped probably two or three times on an average evening walk and just have a conversation about what gun laws are in Hawaii and what the weapons laws are,” he said.
On a recent Saturday morning, a halberd-toting Roberts gathered with other coalition members in Waikiki’s sprawling Kapiolani Park. A few carried samurai swords. One had a butterfly knife — also known as a balisong, prominent in martial arts in the Philippines, where many Hawaii residents have roots. A wooden, Scottish sword dangled from the waist of a man in a red kilt.
Honolulu police officers, who got wind of their plans to march through Waikiki in celebration of the law, chatted with them. Roberts told one he got his halberd blade on Amazon for $56.
With officers escorting them, they strolled along Waikiki’s main oceanfront drag, Kalakaua Avenue. Some tourists did double takes, but many seemed unfazed by the armed men bearing a large U.S. flag.
“Nobody’s been overly shocked,” Roberts said. “It’s just an opportunity to talk to people about what’s going on in Hawaii, talking about Second Amendment rights.”
In a statement, the Hawaii attorney general’s office stressed that the new law didn’t create a free-for-all when it comes to carrying weapons in public.
“The notion that you can just carry weapons however and wherever you want is simply not correct,” it said. “There are numerous existing laws and regulations that govern the use and possession of weapons in many respects. All of these laws will continue to be enforced.”
It remains a misdemeanor to carry the weapons in a concealed fashion, and the law increased the penalties for carrying them while committing a crime. It’s also illegal to carry a weapon in a way that threatens harm or terrorizes other people.
While bladed weapons and clubs are not as dangerous as firearms, they don’t belong on the street, said Chris Marvin, a Hawaii resident with the gun-violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety.
“I totally can understand the self-defense argument that people make and I would rather they choose to use a knife or a blunt instrument over a firearm, but the cultural attitude that we’re starting to adopt is not the norm for Hawaii,” he said. “In making these laws, we’re becoming more and more like the mainland, which is full of aggressive, argumentative people who resort to violence too quickly.”
Michael Rice carried a wooden spear on his hourlong bus ride to the Waikiki gathering. Studying traditional weaponry like the spear, which his uncle made from koa wood, has helped him connect to his Native Hawaiian roots: “I don’t get to express my culture that often.”
Soleil Roache, a self-defense instructor who did not attend the walk, said the law now allows her to incorporate the balisong into her lessons and to learn about its importance in the Philippines, where her grandfather was from. The law gives her the “opportunity to dive into that part of my ancestry,” she said.
Filipino martial arts instructor Burton Richardson said he can now teach and practice in public parks using weapons, including balisong. “In the Philippines, the tradition of knife, stick and sword fighting … has been important to the culture,” he said.
The weapon has two pivoting handles that open and close, like butterfly wings, and aficionados make deft work of flashing the blade.
Umi Kai, who makes traditional Hawaiian weapons such as spears, daggers and clubs, was not part of the walk. He mostly uses the implements for ceremony or education; they’re impractical for self-defense in modern Hawaii, he said.
“For self-defense I wouldn’t be carrying around a shark-tooth-laden club every day,” he said.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The JAL Honolulu Marathon kicks off at Ala Moana Boulevard.
Hawaii News Now celebrates the 53nd anniversary of the Honolulu Marathon with a special edition of Sunrise.
We’ll be tracking runners throughout the entire course, sharing heartfelt stories from competitors, and going behind the scenes to spotlight dedicated volunteers — from malasada makers to medical crews — who help make this massive event possible.
Join us for live coverage throughout the 26.2-mile course on Sunday, Dec. 14, starting at 6 a.m. only on Hawaii News Now.
Click here to track a runner.
Tsegay Weldibanos from Eritrea came in first place in the elite men’s division with a time of 2:13:41.
He beat out last year’s winner by less than a minute.
And in the women’s elite division, Calli Hauger-Thackery, from Great Britain, came in first place with a time of 2:30:44.
She also beat out last year’s winner by a tight margin.
For the second year in a row, Kota Hokinoue came in first place for the marathon’s men’s wheelchair division.
The course goes through downtown Honolulu, past Iolani Palace and the Christmas lights, through Waikiki and climbs up and around Diamond Head, before heading out through Kahala and out to Hawaii Kai. Turning back after Hawaii Kai toward Kahala and Honolulu, the course passes Diamond Head again on the ocean side before finishing in Kapiolani Park.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
HILO (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii Island will commemorate the arrival of the first 15 Filipinos to Hawaii back in 1906.
A free Sakada Day Celebration in Hilo will take place on Dec. 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to honor the contributions of the Filipino plantation workers who sparked a wave of migration.
“Filipinos are actually a large group here in Hawaii, lot of times things like this are actually tend to be a little neglected,” said Iris Viacrusis, co-chair of the Sakada Day Celebration.
This year’s event will feature a lei presentation at 9 a.m. at the statue at Keaau Community Center, followed by lunch, entertainment and a presentation to three descendants of sakadas: Sandra Claveria, Lorraine Rodero Inouye and Angel Pilago.
Two exhibits will also be displayed for guests to learn more about the sakadas — one will feature stories of the sakadas’ legacy and the other will showcase cultural items and clothing from Viacrusis’ collection.
Dec. 20 was proclaimed Sakada Day under Gov. David Ige in 2015.
Event organizers are preparing for next year’s 120th anniversary of the sakadas in Hawaii.
Meantime, on Oahu, a free Sakada Day Celebration is taking place today, Dec. 13, at Hawaii Plantation Village in Waipahu from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii, the University of Hawaii at Manoa Center for Philippine Studies and Filipino Curriculum Project organize the annual gathering, which honors the resilience, contributions, and cultural legacy of sakadas, migrant plantation workers whose hard work, courage, and spirit continue to shape the Filipino American experience today.
High school students will take part in stage performances, visual presentations, education booths and a fashion show.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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