Bob Hope and his family were enjoying a nice fishing trip at Crescent Lake Park in Florida, and everything seemed to be going well. In fact, Hope’s father had just managed to reel in a 4lb tilapia! But the excitement from this great catch was short-lived, because just as they were getting ready to put the fish in a bucket, they were harassed by animal welfare activists by the names of Kayla and Mike Leaming and their two children.
The Leamings are part of an animal liberation group called Direct Action Everywhere and opened their accosting of the Hopes with their young son, who told the Hopes that fish can feel pain. The father of the Leaming group then began to lecture the fishing family about how they were abusing the fish before shoving aside Hope’s mother, grabbing the fish, and tossing it back into the water!
Hope then rung the St. Petersburg police, who restored peace to the area. Due to free speech laws, the Leamings had the right to speak as they chose in the park and did not face ramifications. The Hopes then took their fishing trip elsewhere for the day.
