PETA: Activist was SeaWorld spy
Organization People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has ramped up its war of words with SeaWorld Entertainment, claiming one of PETA’s activists was actually an undercover spy working for the theme park operator.
PETA said California activist they knew as Thomas Jones is actually Paul McComb, who has worked in at SeaWorld since at least 2008.
Jones had protested at several PETA demonstrations aimed at SeaWorld and even got himself detained by police when protesting at the 2014 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
Suspicions arose after Jones was released without charge and his name did not appear on arrest sheets following the Rose Parade demonstration, said Lisa Lange, senior vice president at PETA, who accused SeaWorld of a "corporate espionage campaign".
"Instead of creating a dirty tricks department, SeaWorld should put its resources into releasing the orcas into coastal sanctuaries," Lange said.
Jones had posted several times on social media prior to PETA demonstrations encouraging other activists to ‘get a little aggressive.’
One post said: "Grab your pitch forks and torches. Time to take down SeaWorld."
PETA also said an address used by Jones was a post office box registered in the name of Richard Marcelino, who is director of security at SeaWorld San Diego.
If proven there was a dirty tricks campaign against PETA, it would be another PR disaster.
SeaWorld’s response was ambiguous but seems to add validity to the claim.
"We are focused on the safety of our team members, guests and animals, and beyond that we do not comment on our security operations," said Fred Jacobs, a SeaWorld spokesman.
"This is a responsibility that we take very seriously, especially as animal rights groups have become increasingly extreme in their rhetoric and tactics."
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025