Protestors, Sea World clash over treatment of orcas

Animal rights activists protested outside SeaWorld on Sunday, just two days after the theme park launched a counterattack over claims that it mistreats its Orca whales.

A long line of cars entering SeaWorld Sunday morning were met with a string of protesters.

"We hope SeaWorld will realize what they're doing is wrong. Having large animals like this in captivity is torture and slavery and that there's other ways they can keep their theme park going," protestor Peri Sedigh said.

The protest comes just days after SeaWorld placed full-page ads in eight U.S. newspapers in response to criticism of its treatment of killer whales. The company said the ad corrects "inaccurate reports."

The ad didn't specifically mention the "Blackfish" documentary, which chronicled the captivity of the killer whale that killed trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010.

In response to Sunday's protest, SeaWorld said "There is no organization more passionately committed to the physical, mental and social care and well-being of animals than SeaWorld. The protesters' claims and accusations are without merit."

"SeaWorld expects everyone to just buy whatever line they put out. But if they truly were a research and rehabilitation facility, they wouldn't be breeding animals in captivity and they would be trying to have animals captured by other organizations," Brian Wilson with Animal Rights Foundation of Florida said.