An incident on a beach in Hawaii it escalated after tourist from Seattle was filmed throwing a rock at an endangered monk seal, which set off a chain reaction among those present.
It all happened on the beach on the island of Maui, where a tourist from Seattle was filmed throwing a large rock at a protected species of marine mammal - the Hawaiian monk seal, which is protected by law as an endangered animal.
The video soon went viral on social networks and provoked strong reactions from local residents and nature protection activists, who assessed his action as a serious violation of the rules of behavior in protected ecosystems.
Not long after the incident, a local resident physically assaulted the tourists and knocked him to the ground. The entire event was captured on video, which also spread across the Internet.
According to the statements of several witnesses reported by American media, the tourist said during the conflict and discussion that he "can pay the fine" and that he is "rich", which those present interpreted as an arrogant response to warnings about his behavior.
These statements have not been confirmed as part of the official police report, but are based on eyewitness accounts.
Local authorities announced that the tourist was detained for questioning, while the case is further investigated. Given that it is a protected species, the case was forwarded to the competent federal authorities.
The incident also opened a wider debate about the behavior of tourists in Hawaii and respecting the rules for the protection of wild animals.
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