While Bush was vowing to spread freedom around the globe, law enforcement agents were hauling off several demonstrators who attempted to protest during the speech.

Some 10,000 protesters marched in a demonstration organized by the DC Anti-War Network. Thousands more lined the parade route holding signs accusing Bush of war crimes and calling for the end of the Iraq war.

Members of the Black Bloc also successfully blocked many Bush supporters from reaching their seats after they forced the police to shut down two entry points to the seating area.

Police reported making 14 arrests during the inauguration celebrations but targeted many more people with pepper spray.

Another 65 were arrested last night after a group of anarchists staged an unpermitted march through the Adams Morgan neighborhood. Participants in the march shattered the front door of a Riggs Bank.

Protests were also held across the country including in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tucson, Atlanta, Denver, Sacramento, Milwaukee, New Orleans and Portland, Oregon,

Cheney: Israel May Attack Iran
Hours before the inauguration, Vice President Cheney warned that Iran had become the top threat to world peace. He accused Iran of building a “fairly robust new nuclear program.” Cheney didn’t rule out a U.S. attack but suggested that Israel might strike Iran first.

He said “Given the fact that Iran has a stated policy that their objective is the destruction of Israel, the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards.” Israel has carried out such attacks before. In 1981, Israeli warplanes bombed an Iraqi nuclear reactor.

Cheney’s comments come just days after the New Yorker magazine reported that the US has already sent troops into Iran to search for possible sites to attack.

On Tuesday Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice named Iran as one of six so-called “outposts of tyranny.” Also named were North Korea, Burma, Cuba, Belarus and Zimbabwe.