Police use pepper spray at Bush inauguration

WASHINGTON - Police used pepper spray to disperse demonstrators who hurled debris and tried to break through a security fence keeping protesters away from President George W Bush's inaugural parade on Thursday.

Several dozen protesters thronged towards the security fence, lobbing bottles, trash and snowballs at police, witnesses said. More than 100 police officers were at the scene where hundreds of protesters had gathered.

A small group of anti-Bush demonstrators overturned several of the metal security barricades, and a handful of protesters broke through.

Witnesses said they saw police use pepper spray against some of the protesters.

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," "Down with King George," and "Your taxes at work killing." Other placards called for electoral reform, gay rights, abortion rights and the use of renewable energy.

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 during the first inauguration since the September 11, 2001, attacks. 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 anarchists 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 supporters, many in fur coats. Others threw snowballs at police.

"Right wing scum, your time has come," read a banner at a march of about 200 anarchists heading toward Pennsylvania Avenue, where the inaugural parade was scheduled in the afternoon.

Just outside the White House grounds, 17 protesters staged a "die-in." After shouting a chant 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.

Others were less sympathetic.

"I hope you don't get up. I hope you freeze your ass off," said another, who was among a group heading toward the grandstands nearest the White House.

Throughout the city, thousands of police and military troops were on patrol with bomb-sniffing dogs, and spectators had to pass through metal detectors before attending any inaugural events or before being allowed to watch the parade from the street.

The demonstrations were due to continue throughout the day. Organizers said they expected several thousand protesters to brave the winter chill to vent opposition to the president and his policies at home and abroad.

Some protesters along the route of the inaugural parade say they planned to turn their backs at Bush's motorcade.

Demonstration organizers had complained they were not being given adequate access to protest, while Bush supporters were granted prime locations along the parade route.

At the moment of oath-taking, several hundred demonstrators crossed 16th Street a block away from the White House. "Abort Bush," read some signs, referring to the abortion debate that is one of the country's more divisive issues.

Becky Jones, a 20-year-old art student from Washington, she was upset the president had led the nation to war in Iraq based on false information about weapons of mass destruction.

"He still won, and I don't know why," she said.

- REUTERS