Bush Inauguration, Jan. 20, DC

January 20 dawned brightly. The sun reflected off the snow and spirits were high to oppose Bush and the whole capitalist system. There was a huge march of thousands called by the DC Anti-War Network. An Anti-Fascist contingent marched in this march then split off. We joined the Anarchist resistance march and marched downtown. Motorcycle police tried to block us but we outmanouvered them. Lots of snowballs were thrown. When we got to the security perimiter to the viewing area of the parade route we tried to march right through. The police atacked before we got there. They smashed our biggest banner that was reinforced with pvc. We tried to fight our way through but we were pretty evenly matched with the police. We linked arms and counted down from 10 then rushed forward. Police beat us with batons and pvc from the banner and used small cans of pepperspray. More police arived and blasted us with fire extinguisher sized pepperspray and we were driven back. We regrouped behind the FBI Building. Thousand of Bush supporters poured past, many in fur coats. We heckled some but there were too many. I ran out of film but we later made another attempt to break through a checkpoint and the police shut it down for the day. Later people broke through the fence but were again held back with pepperspray. However, there was only one arrest that I saw. It was a good day with DC filled with thousands of protestors and many forms of resstance on display.