Protest at Zero Dark Thirty

A half-dozen anti-torture protesters handed out leaflets Friday evening outside the Century Theaters in downtown Walnut Creek.

The demonstrators from the Mount Diablo Peace and Justice Center said they wanted to inform people about the misconceptions of torture that are portrayed in the movie, Zero Dark Thirty.

The protesters didn't ask people to boycott the Oscar-nominated film. Instead, they presented people with information to shed light on the practice of torture.

"We're giving them something to think about," said Bob Hanson, a board member at the peace center. "They seem interested in what we have to say."

On their leaflet, the group says Zero Dark Thirty's implication that the use of torture provided critical intelligence information is false.

In fact, they said, torture produced false leads that wasted time and personnel.

"Torture is immoral and unworthy of our nation," the leaflet read. "It is also illegal and impractical."

The protesters were in front of the theater from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. They plan to be there again from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.