The battle between the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and SeaWorld went on to next level; now, PETA claims that SeaWorld had one of its employees as an activist to spy on their group.

The animal rights group said in a statement that the suspected spy even encouraged them to disrupt last year’s Rose Parade, which featured a float sponsored by the marine animal theme park.

PETA spokesperson Lisa Lange said, “This was just a desperate attempt on their part – corporate espionage, further dirty tricks – and we’re not surprised by it. He was really trying to incite activists to act illegally and, in some cases, violently”.

CBS2 spoke with Lange last year after she and 16 other people were arrested during the parade for protesting against SeaWorld’s float, as well as about their treatment of Orca whales and other animals.

Lange said the person arrested along with Paul McComb was a SeaWorld employee who used the alias Thomas Jones to infiltrate PETA in 2012.

But PETA members said Paul never met with the group outside the Pasadena Police Department after the parade arrest.

PETA began investigating into the case and Lange stated that one of the addresses of Thomas was not valid and the second one was a PO box registered to the director of security for SeaWorld San Diego, so that was the big tip-off.

SeaWorld is still in a campaign to rebuild their reputation following the documentary expose ‘Blackfish’. The company even denied claims made by PETA.

SeaWorld Communications Director David Koontz said in a statement that it is a responsibility which everyone must take seriously, especially after the animal rights groups have become increasingly extreme in their rhetoric and tactics.