A North Branch, Mich., meat processing facility was vandalized earliler this week, and the people who claimed responsibility for the attack claimed allegiance to the Animal Liberation Front.

The vandalism occurred at McNee’s Meats. MLive.com reports that an e-mail sent from Bite Back Magazine to police and members of the media. The e-mail read, "In the early morning of August 26th two ALF members traveled three hours to a small town called North Branch, MI to vandalize and liberate a family slaughterhouse called 'Mcnee's Meats' -years prior the beef they sold was even tested positive for E. Coli. One member glued the ignition to the transport truck and the lock to the front door as well as sprayed painted 'Meat is Murder' on the front of the building. The other member freed fifteen enslaved cows from being slaughtered, broke the lighting fixtures, and smashed holding cages for chickens (cows being the only animals present)."

Police have confirmed that the damage at the facility was consistent with the description in the e-mail. The E. coli reference in the e-mail occurred in 2011, when five people were sickened and the company recalled more than 2,000 pounds of ground beef as a result.

Jerry W. Vlasak, a press officer with the Animal Liberation Front, declined to comment if his group was involved with the vandalism but said these claims of responsibility typically prove true.

Sources: MLive.com, Bite Back Magazine