Rome — Marcus Aurelius Flavius, chairman of the largest organization of Roman centurion veterans, today expressed his concern that Mel Gibson’s new film “The Passion of the Christ” may lead to a new outpouring of anti-centurionism.

“Over the centuries Roman centurions have been unfairly depicted as conquerors, enslavers, torturers, rapists and sadistic madmen,” said Mr. Flavius during a morning press conference. “Well, ok, maybe we were conquerors, enslavers, torturers, rapists and sadistic madmen, but Gibson’s film goes too far. I haven’t seen such blatant anti-centurionism since ‘Ben-Hur.’”

Roman centurion veterans in New York gathered in front of the AMC Theater in Times Square to protest the film’s anti-centurion content, carrying placards that read “Quo usque tandem abutere, Gibsonus, patientia nostra?” and “Heatheniae regnet!” Shortly after the 2:00pm matinee police had to be called in when 1500 former centurions stormed the theater with catapults and battering rams and tortured, raped and brutally murdered the entire audience of a screening of “Finding Nemo.”