Clad in leg chains, orange jump suits and black hoods, eight protestors walked through downtown State College Saturday to protest what they say is prisoner mistreatment in the war on terrorism.

The protest came on the same day as tens of thousands of people protested in an anti-war rally in Washington, D.C.

The local protesters handed out small fliers in State College stating that thousands of people "without charge, trial or communication, have been incarcerated and tortured in our name" for more than four years.

"People seem to forget that all this is going on in the name of our own safety," said David Cicero Bevacqua (graduate-geochemistry), one of the protestors. Other group members included Penn State students, alumni and local residents.

Bevacqua and other group members said they were concerned specifically with the Military Commissions Act, passed in October. They said they were worried the act legalized some forms of torture.

Group members also said they were concerned about secrecy surrounding the detainees.

"We don't know who is held or how many people are being held," Bevacqua said.

One protestor, Kevin Gombotz, Class of 2002, was dressed in a sport coat and dress pants instead of a jumpsuit. He said his clothes were meant to symbolize that there are "real identities to the nameless unknown that are held in secret."

The group's march included stops at the Allen Street gates and at the U.S. Army recruiting station on College Avenue.

Some people stopped to look at the protestors and take pictures.

"Kind of not something I expected to see while walking across the street," said Stephanie Abdalla (freshman-human development and family studies). "It does make a statement."

Eric Eidle (junior-civil engineering) said he thought the government had dealt with incidents of torture effectively and punished those responsible.

"Some people need to protest just for something to do," he said.

Sgt. First Class Jerry Rasmussen, who works in the Army recruiting station, said the protestors had not disrupted their work. He said five or six people had come in during the protest to thank them for their service.

Also on Saturday, about 20 people attended the State College Friends weekly pro-peace vigil in front the Allen Street gates, which has been occurring since 2002.

Mary Hutchins, of State College, who participated in the vigil, said some people who traditionally attend the vigil had traveled to the Washington, D.C., protest instead.