WASHINGTON - Opposition groups plan to hold a huge protest during President George W. Bush's inauguration next month, as the US leader is sworn in to a second four-year term.

DC Resistance Media, which includes organizations opposing the Iraq war and Bush's economic policies, said Tuesday it hoped to mobilize "tens of thousands of people" in downtown Washington to protest Bush's re-election during the January 20 inauguration.

"He can expect there to be a number of people protesting unprecedented since (President Richard) Nixon's inauguration in 1973," said David Lytel, founder of www.ReDefeatBush.com.

"There will be many different reasons for someone to come and protest," said Lytel, who plans to contest the legitimacy of Bush's November 2 election victory over Democratic Senator John Kerry when the Electoral College members issue their votes on January 6.

"The common message: Bush is illegitimate and corrupt," said Shahid Buttar, of DC Resistance Media.

A leaflet distributed by the coalition reads: "Jan 20: the people rise up. Democracy in America is corrupt - and only YOU can fix it."

Several groups have requested authorization to protest on January 20 on the Washington National Mall, the expansive esplanade in front of Congress's Capitol building, where Bush will be sworn in.

The groups are also planning balls to rival the nine official presidential balls to be held during the inauguration, whose theme is "celebrating freedom, honoring service."

"It's going to be quite difficult to disrupt the ceremonies, but it's important for the rest of the world to see that we are still mobilized, that we are not going to just lie down," said Gael Murphy, a member of CodePINK: Women for Peace, which opposes the Iraq war.

"The American people will not tolerate another four years of corruption from the Bush administration," said Basav Sen, a member of Mobilization for Global Justice. "He has no mandate to govern, let alone impose his radical agenda on the people of the United States and the global community."

Also seeking to demonstrate: the conservative Christian Defense Coalition, which applied for a permit to march and conduct a prayer vigil.

"The group will be praying for President Bush and calling on him to nominate pro-life justices to the United States Supreme Court," the group said in a statement Tuesday.

© Copyright 2004 AFP

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