(CNN) -- A group of native Hawaiians occupied the grounds of the old Hawaiian monarchy's royal residence Wednesday, vowing to stay and do the business of the kingdom's government. A member of the protest group Hawaiian Kingdom Government unlocks the palace gate. "It is through a greater realm than ours" that the group took this action, said Mahealani Kahau, elected leader of the group, called Hawaiian Kingdom Government. "Today and every day, we will be here to assume our role." Group members left the palace grounds Wednesday afternoon, but vowed to return Thursday morning, The Honolulu Advertiser reported. "We'll be here at 6 o'clock in the morning," Kahau told the newspaper.
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Group does not recognize Hawaii as a U.S. state
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Palace used by rulers of Hawaiian kingdom; now a tourist attraction
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Peaceful protesters eventually unlock gates, leave grounds
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Protesters vow to return Thursday morning
The group is one of several in @placeholder that reject statehood and seek to return to the constitutional monarchy that effectively ended in 1893 when a group of politicians, businessmen and sugar planters -- aided by the U.S. minister to Hawaii -- overthrew the kingdom's government.