FERGUSON, Mo., Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The "hacktivist" group known as Anonymous took over city of Ferguson websites on Sunday night after warning authorities that their treatment of protesters could have consequences.

The group warned the Ferguson Police Department that they were being watched and that abuse or harassment of protesters would result in Anonymous taking "every web based asset of your departments and governments off line."


Hackers got into the city of Ferguson's website Sunday night and none of the city's emails were working on Monday morning after the group dropped an "email bomb," according to KMOV.

All personal information was reportedly removed from the website on Saturday in anticipation of they cyber-attack.

"The time has come for more than simple justice for these atrocities. The time has come to draw a line in the sand and say 'no more dead kids, no more police killings and beatings,'" Anonymous wrote in a press release. "Anonymous is drawing a line in the sand, and that line runs right down the middle of Main Street Ferguson, Missouri. Police impunity ends with the barbaric death of Mike Brown."

We confirm late last night global operatives of Anonymous launch cyber attacks against the servers of the City of Ferguson. | #OpFerguson — Operation Ferguson (@OpFerguson) August 11, 2014 Specifically global operatives of Anonymous took down the Ferguson PD web page & launched a City wide E-Mail Bomb disabling their E-Mail. RELATED Missouri teen shot and killed by police August 11, 2014

The group has gone after the United States government and large corporations in the past.

We can also confirm that these cyber attacks against web based assets of the Ferguson PD and the City government will continue. Expect us. RELATED Mich. teen told friend she saw a man with a gun before disappearing August 11, 2014

The group was apparently upset about the way that protesters were treated.

We'ld like to state for the record that our Press Release & statements were clear, we would only launch cyber attacks if protesters harmed. — Operation Ferguson (@OpFerguson) August 11, 2014

Protests about the weekend's events continue to take place on Monday.