Protesters called for awareness.

"The face of the United States is the U.S. military that is knocking down doors at night, that is torturing people, that is humiliating people in prisons," Bunting said.

The Anti-War Coalition had also planned to demonstrate water-boarding, an interrogation technique used by the military, but decided against it because they felt it would be too extreme.

"It seems innocuous, but it's terrifying," said Dru Pollini, co-organizer of the event. "It simulates death, a feeling of dying. It's mainly mental torture, which is just as damaging as physical torture. I've been water-boarded … in my bathtub. It's terrifying."

Although the protestors attracted some students passing by, Jensen was not convinced.

"(I wouldn't join a protest), not for Iraq and not now," Jensen said. "I might have done it before the elections, but things have changed so much since then with the democratically controlled Congress that I don't see much of a point anymore. Public opinion is so strongly against it, so doing something like this is like preaching to the choir."