State law enforcement officers arrested 22 people Monday night after they refused to leave Iolani Palace grounds.

Members of the Hawaiian Kingdom Government, who claim the state of Hawaii is a "puppet government" and the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown illegally, were arrested peacefully in the parking lot near the State Archives with the lights of the palace in the background.

"We’ve always done things peacefully," group spokeswoman Donna Willard said.

The 22 were charged with criminal trespass II, a petty misdemeanor, and were likely to stay overnight at a jail in Kapolei before being transported for arraignment in District Court in Kaneohe at 8:30 a.m. today.

State Department of Land and Natural Resources Director William Aila said he was disappointed that members of the group chose to be arrested, and thought they had made their point by camping out overnight at the palace Sunday, briefly locking the gates to the grounds. No one was arrested after that incident.

The arrests came at about 7 p.m. Monday, several hours after Aila announced a decision to close Iolani Palace and the surrounding grounds to the public from 5 p.m. Monday through 6 a.m. Nov. 15, saying he wanted to protect the area and ensure public safety during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.

Aila said his decision was influenced by the arrests of campers at Thomas Square who had come to Hawaii because of the APEC meeting.

Eight Occupy Honolulu protesters were released from police custody Sunday after being arrested Saturday night while trying to establish an encampment at Thomas Square. The protesters were among some 40 people who had gathered at the park. They were arrested after refusing to leave after 10 p.m., the park’s official closing time.

Honolulu organizers said they also stood "in solidarity" with the homeless, whom they say are being forced from the streets and parks as the city hosts the APEC summit.

The Honolulu protesters are part of a broader movement that is largely demonstrating against disparities in the nation’s economic system.

Hawaiian Kingdom Government has been gathering on various parts of the palace grounds five days a week since May 2008, showing up in the morning and leaving in the afternoon.

When the group first occupied the grounds in 2008, it chained the gates and blocked non-Hawaiians from entering for about eight hours to protest the U.S.-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian government more than a century ago.

Last week the group sent a letter to Aila and the Friends of ‘Iolani Palace demanding that the Friends vacate the palace.

Police and state law enforcement officials were called to the palace shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday, when the grounds normally are closed to the public.

Mahealani Kahau, who called herself Her Royal Highness Mahealani, said the Hawaiian Kingdom Government hadn’t planned to stay overnight Sunday and had "no intentions" of doing so again.

Kahau said the sovereignty group had spent most of Sunday on the palace grounds and made a spur-of-the-moment decision to stay as the grounds were being closed at 11 p.m.

"This is our palace. … We are the Hawaiian Kingdom Government," Kahau said Monday.

Someone called police, and when officers showed up, Kahau said the group chained the gates because they were concerned for the safety of their children and elders.

Kahau said she agreed to unlock the gates after meeting with Aila and he agreed to her request to open restrooms on the grounds.

Hawaii News Now video: Hawaiian sovereignty government members arrested, removed from Iolani Palace grounds