Flag-draped coffins and anti-war chants competed with pomp and circumstance yesterday at the inauguration of President George Bush along the snow-dusted, barricaded streets of central Washington.
As the president was sworn in for a second term amid the tightest security in inaugural history, protesters chanted "Hell no, we won't go! We won't go for Texaco" and other anti-war slogans. They carried hundreds of mock coffins along 16th Street, a downtown thoroughfare leading to the White House, to remind Americans of the mounting casualties in Iraq.
While some protesters played drums, others held signs such as "Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam," and "Down with King George." Other placards called for electoral reform, gay rights, abortion rights and the use of renewable energy.
Mr Jamie Dennis, a 22-year-old contractor from Silver Spring, Maryland, said it was important for people come out and protest Bush's policies. "This is showing that he doesn't have as much political capital as he claims," he said.
Demonstrations were mostly peaceful. Police sealed off 100 blocks around the White House and parade route, barring all traffic except official security and police cars. In one case, police scuffled with about 30 protesters about two streets away from the inaugural parade route, using pepper spray and batons to disperse the group. Some black-clad anarchists also traded insults with Bush supporter. Others threw snowballs at police.
"Right-wing scum, your time has come," read a banner at a march of about 200 protesters heading toward Pennsylvania Avenue.
Just outside the White House grounds, 17 protesters staged a "die-in." After chants of "Stop the killing, stop the war," they dropped to the pavement one by one as one of them began reading a list of those killed in Iraq.
Some wore fake blood-stained bandages, and stage blood dribbled from some mouths. One spectator apparently found the act so credible that he began administering CPR.
Reuters