The cruel tourist seen throwing a heavy rock at an endangered monk seal had arrogantly said he didn’t care if cops were called because he was “rich” — just before an enraged local battered him to the ground.
The 37-year-old vacationer was pummeled on a beach in Hawaii soon after he was caught on camera throwing rocks at Lani, a treasured seal who became a symbol of Maui’s recovery following the devastating Lahaina wildfires.
“We told him that we called the cops, and he was like, ‘I don’t care. Fine me, I’m rich,’” Kaylee Schnitzer, who filmed the clip on May 5, told KHON 2 of the rock thrower, who has yet to be identified.
“He said that, and he kept walking,” Schnitzer said — with another clip showing an enraged, shirtless witness knocking him down and throwing a flurry of punches.
The cruel tourist was detained for questioning, but has not been identified as he has yet to be charged with a crime, the Hawaii Department of Natural Resources said.
However, harassing, injuring or killing monk seals — which are severely endangered — is against the law, and if charged, the man could face a $50,000 fine and possible jail time for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The man who delivered street justice, meanwhile, was praised with a letter of recognition by a local lawmaker.
“Some of us have seen environmental activists [sic], I like to call them, who took matters into his own hands to educate what might happen when you mess with our lands or the animals,” state Sen. Brenton Awa (R-23rd Dist.) wrote.
“Our attorney over here wants to make it clear we don’t condone violence, but we did make a letter of recognition for Mr. Ambassador of Aloha.”
The fact that the tourist attacked Lani was especially painful because the seal became a symbol of Maui’s recovery following the fires that razed Lahaina.
“Since Lani’s return to Lahaina following the 2023 wildfires, members of the Mayor’s team and residents alike have watched over and cared deeply for her,” Maui County said in an Instagram post.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources’ enforcement division has turned the case over to federal prosecutors with NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for possible prosecution under federal wildlife protection laws.
