Police sprayed tear gas today 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.
Several dozen protesters thronged towards the security fence, lobbing bottles, rubbish and snowballs at police.
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 tear gas against some of the protesters.
Also along the route towards the White House, protesters set a small fire close to the barricades. The motorcade sped up as it passed the commotion.