"There was no plan,"
"We thought we'd just stay until we could get some media attention. Eventually, we broke out some food and ate while we watched the Coast Guard boats coming into shore,"
"But the idea of landing on Kahoolawe and stopping the bombing at least for some period of time, everyone accepted as, you know, that's a great thing to get attention, and maybe all of our issues can get attention too,"
On Jan. 4, 1976 dozens of people gathered secretly at Maalaea Harbor on Maui and boarded boats bound for Kahoolawe. Most participants were Native Hawaiian and aimed to halt U.S. military bombing and bring attention to Hawaiian land, fishing and trail access rights during the Bicentennial. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter intercepted the flotilla and warned the activists to turn back. One boat continued and nine activists landed on Kahoolawe successfully. They improvised a plan, ate while watching Coast Guard boats arrive, and faced an approaching cutter and federal officers in the afternoon.
Read at SFGATE
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