The Honolulu Police Department announced Thursday the arrests of two hikers who were seen throwing a metal railing over the side of Haiku Stairs in a video that has been shared widely on social media. 

Police arrested them for trespassing and theft, according to an Instagram post. 

“The pair were part of a large group, and more arrests are expected,” HPD said. 

HPD thanked the public, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam and Naval Criminal Investigative Service for assisting in the investigation. 

The iconic Haiku Stairs, also known as Stairway to Heaven, is illegal for people to traverse. In 2022, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said the nearly 4,000 stairs would be removed from the Koolau Mountains. Last year, crews began work to remove Haiku Stairs, but shortly after the nonprofit Friends of Haiku Stairs filed two lawsuits, stalling the removal work. While all of this was going on, adventure seekers have been flocking to the trail for one last hike, leading state and county agencies to arrest hikers and close surrounding trails and parks in order to deter them.

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.