LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An animal rights group is criticizing a Nebraska sheriff in online videos after authorities stopped members of the group near a USDA research lab in Clay County.

The group from Geneva, Illinois that calls itself SHARK has posted three videos on YouTube criticizing Clay County Sheriff Jeff Franklin. The group’s name stands for Showing Animals Respect & Kindness.

The group’s president Steve Hindi says Franklin and his deputies stopped members of the group who were trying to take video of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center.

The federal research lab has been under scrutiny since last year when a New York Times story raised questions about how animals are cared for.

Franklin denies any wrongdoing and says the online videos are a smear campaign.

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