Banner image courtesy of Banksy
Petition – “Tell SeaWorld to stop being hypocrites and end all orca shows!” – Phoebe Goldstein
SeaWorld issued a Press Release, Friday 19 February 2016 announcing key management appointments to “meet strategic goals.”
However, we now see that one of SeaWorld’s ‘strategies’ has been to infiltrate ‘activist’ groups.
On Thursday, SeaWorld chief executive Joel Manby told investors the theme park operator had employees pose as activists to infiltrate People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
This admission comes months after PETA accused SeaWorld employee Paul McComb of working for the animal rights group under the alias Thomas Jones. PETA claimed McComb attended anti-SeaWorld meetings and protests, asked for insider secrets from other protesters, and encouraged aggressive and illegal tactics during demonstrations.
At the time, SeaWorld officials denied the claims but put McComb on temporary leave. He has since returned to the company, according to Manby.
“Following the completion of an investigation conducted by independent outside counsel, the board has directed that the company’s management team end a practice in which certain employees posed as animal rights activists in connection with efforts to maintain the safety and security of company employees, customers, and animals in the face of credible threats that the company had received,” SeaWorld said in a statement issued after Manby discussed the issue with investors during a conference call Thursday. “SeaWorld Admits it Infiltrated and Animal Right Group,” TakePart, 25 February 2016
Does SeaWorld really not understand what the ‘activists’ and ‘animal rights’ groups have been saying for so long, that SeaWorld has to infiltrate to get a grip on what the message is? Or was SeaWorld seeking to disrupt and protect its position by destroying the activists’ movement that has shown SeaWorld in its true light – animal exploitation and cruelty served up as ‘entertainment?’
SeaWorld – You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.
Related Articles:
- Video – “Fate of orcas in captivity at SeaWorld and other marine parks,” Whale and Dolphin Conservation
- “SeaWorld’s Cynical Re-branding Exercise,” IWB, 5 December 2015
- “BREAKING: SeaWorld Admits to Spying on Animal Activists,” The Dodo, 25 February 2016
- “SeaWorld Reports $11m Loss in Q4 2015 Results; Admits Spying,” Dolphin Project, 25 February 2016
- “What SeaWorld Won’t Tell You About Dawn Brancheau’s Death,” SeaWorld of Hurt – PETA, 24 February 2016