HONOLULU -- The governor said Saturday the Hawaiian sovereignty group that illegally occupied Iolani Palace on Friday faces serious charges.

Authorities said they arrested 23 of the Hawaiian activists. Some are being held in a police cell block while the attorney general's office considers additional felony charges.

On Friday, 27 Maui activists locked Iolani Palace gates. After a palace worker was reportedly shoved and hit by the occupiers, palace employees locked themselves into the administration building for safety.

A palace spokesman said a police officer who was there drove away after refusing to help.

"If in fact a police officer stood by when someone was being harmed that's a very serious issue," Gov. Linda Lingle said.

Initially, no police responded to the palace's calls for assistance.

"It was reported last night that when a call went in to 911 they were told it was not their jurisdiction. That is a very serious allegation," Lingle said.

Police and state law enforcement finally arrived after three hours.

The group's leader was among the first to be arrested. He said Saturday he was arrested as he was about to sit on the throne.

"I wanted to be locked up on the throne. They were going to lock me up with all chains sit right there and that was it," said Akahi Nui, "Once I claim the throne it is all over for these guys."

Nui is a retired heavy equipment operator from Haiku, Maui. He calls his group the Kingdom of Hawaii Ministry Trust.

The gates were locked again on Saturday but that time by the state and signs that were posted said the palace was closed until further notice.

Some passers-by were surprised and angry.

"It's upsetting that a group can just barge in here," one man said.

The governor said the incident will be treated very seriously.

"People in this case have to be shown it is not going to be acceptable," Lingle said.

Iolani Palace executive director Kippen de Alba Chu said the Hawaiian sovereignty group did not damage any of the palace artifacts, but that adjacent barracks door was damaged after occupiers used a sledgehammer and crowbar to whack it opened.

The doors into the palace and the Throne Room door were also damaged. De Alba Chu said he is concerned by the tardy police response Friday night. He said he wants to make sure in the future all Iolani Palace workers and visitors are well protected.