As President George W. Bush's motorcade passed 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, protesters ripped down part of the 8-foot steel barrier that separated them from the main inaugural parade in Washington, D.C.
Riot police hosed down the surrounding protesters with pepper spray like they were putting out a wildfire.
The direct action against the barrier was only a sliver of the Counter-Inauguration, the name given to the conglomeration of protests held during Bush's inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20.
The tearing down of the gates wasn't mindless destruction according to Kerri Smith, 19, a UCF freshman and student-activist who drove with a car packed full of friends through a snowstorm to offer her voice and fists to the Counter-Inauguration.
"The purpose of tearing down the fence wasn't just literal," Smith said. "It was symbolic that if the state puts up barriers between us, we're going to tear them down, whether they're steel, economic, social or otherwise."
Besides various pockets of protest and direct action against the Bush regime, the Counter-Inauguration featured a series of organized events such as Critical Mass, Billionaires for Bush and Turn Your Back On Bush, as well as marches by anarchist collectives and the D.C. Anti-War Network.
Though all anti-Bush, each group used different techniques and held its own agenda.
Held regularly in major cities, Critical Mass is a collection of bicycle riders who take to the streets to create awareness of the environmental and political destruction caused by oil dependency and the eco-friendliness of bicycle riding. Beginning at 7:30 a.m. and carefully followed by police cars, roughly 30 Critical Mass riders rode through the streets of Washington, D.C., some carrying anti-Bush flags.
Dressed in top hats, bow ties, fur coats and emerald broaches, the satirical street theater group Billionaires for Bush criticized the president for listening to corporate interests over those of everyday Americans. With names likes Robin D. Poor and Phil T. Rich, the Billionaires for Bush held a mock auction of Social Security and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and waved signs such as "Taking from Main Street, Giving To Wall Street!" and "No Brokerage Firm Left Behind."
"They had fake money hanging out everywhere, and when I took a picture with them they smiled and said 'Greed,'" said Clay Thompson, a UCF sophomore.
The Turn Your Back On Bush protest urged people to do just that. Protesters dressed in plain clothes to infiltrate the main inaugural parade. Once Bush's motorcade passed, they turned their back on the president to peacefully show their dismay for his actions and policies.
The D.C. Anti-War Network organized the main counter-inaugural march and featured a "die-in" and the carrying of 1,000 American flag-draped coffins to bring attention to the deaths in the Iraq War.
A few blocks from the D.C. Anti-War Network march, black-clad anarchists chanted and danced to the rhythms of bucket drums as they marched through Washington, D.C. in sharp contrast to the pristine white backdrop of the snow-blanketed city.
The rowdy and festive procession of anarchists zig-zagged through Washington and were met with a police blockade when trying to join the main counter-inaugural march.
When members of the anarchists' march attempted to push through the police blockade, police officers pepper sprayed some march members and a few anarchists struck back at the police with PVC pipe.
Though the police and city officials condemned the sometimes destructive and violent actions of the anarchists, some found their march inspirational.
"I thought the anarchist march was incredibly positive," Smith said. "There were all these kids dancing and chanting and letting those around us know that the streets belong to us - the people."
Another Florida student enjoyed the anarchists' antics. "I always enjoy the energy that anarchists bring to a protest," said Tara McLaughlin, 21, an FAU senior and student-activist who drove from South Florida to join in on the Counter-Inauguration.
McLaughlin's reasons for braving finger-numbing temperatures and pepper-spray-toting riot police went deeper than "[Bush's] obnoxious accent and cowboy-hat mentality."
"It is more my frustration with the country. I want to disturb an event that glorifies a man who leads us into a war for the wrong reasons, who devastates the environment, our culture and our freedom," she said.
Some protesters also objected to $40 million price tag of the inauguration.
"I thought the actual inauguration itself was disgraceful," Smith said. "Spending $40 million on food and drinks, not to mention security, while people in our own country go hungry and people halfway around the world are dying..."
Though some protesters criticized the pomp of inaugural day, Chris Gerrard, 23, a senior at UCF and the executive director of the College Republicans saw the ceremony and celebration of the inauguration as "a sign of how great a nation we are."
Though initial plans to attend the inauguration fell through, Gerrard and some fellow members of the College Republicans got together and watched the inauguration on TV.
"I know $40 million is a lot money, but it goes along with inaugurations of the past," Gerrard said. "If we should tone down the inauguration [because of the war], we should also tone down the Emmy's and the Golden Globes ... there are a lot of other extravagant events."
Gerrard sees the targeting of Bush and his inauguration by protesters as unfair and untimely.
Gerrard said, "Everyone has the right to say what they want," but "There is a time and a place for it.
"It is a big disrespect," said Gerrard. "They couldn't even give 20 minutes to let the nation celebrate."
Matthew DeVlieger, 20, an SGA senator and student-activist, disagreed.
"I feel the strong presence of dissent shows the lifeblood of this growing movement," DeVlieger said. "Soon, when U.S. citizens reflect on where we stand within the next few years, our voice will be the solid majority."
Not everyone in D.C. had a political agenda. Charlie Byrd, 20, went to the Counter-Inauguration thinking it would be "a cool road trip."
"I didn't take it seriously at first," said Byrd. "But seeing the police everywhere, watching them mace protesters, it had a massive impact to say the least. A scary impact."
Byrd said he had no idea there was such an anti-Bush movement. Seeing the planning that took place, the friendliness of the protesters and the way they helped each other opened his eyes. You can actually make a change, even if it's not the biggest," he said. "You can do something."
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