On January 20, 2005, a number of counter-inaugural demonstrations were held in Washington, D.C., and other American cities to protest the second inauguration of President George W. Bush.

According to Indymedia sources, "Toward the end of the rally, when there were at least 10,000 people in the park, a Protest Warrior led a few 20-something conservative college kids into, (in their own words) 'the belly of the beast' to systematically seek out 'black-block' anarchists among the mass of peaceful demonstrators and flaunt their pro-Bush war signs in order to instigate a conflict."

At that moment, all hell broke loose... As I struggled to get up in the slippery snow, two anarchists began kicking me in the back; Protest Warriors were being shoved and punched all around me."

Potts then offered to safely escort the Protest Warriors out of the park, and arranged a place for them on 16th Street along the march route.

The group primarily consisted of participants in the black bloc, but also contained "drummers, radical cheerleaders, and belly dancers".

[6][7][8] ANSWER Coalition had secured a permit for a protest along the Parade Route, to be held at 4th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Mass Convergence site on Inaugural Parade route between 3rd & 4th St. on Pennsylvania Ave. Thousands of other protesters were blocked at Secret Service Checkpoints.

[11] A Critical Mass bicycle ride started here at the same time, and in addition, a group marched back into downtown Washington DC from here.

The group outside Union Station was composed of many individuals seen at other counter-inaugural events earlier in the day, and the mood was initially festive.

A police roadblock directed the group into a maze of alleys where officers rounded up about six dozen marchers who were not engaged in vandalism; they were pepper-sprayed, detained, and jailed overnight.

[14] Lawyers from the ACLU and the law firms Gaffney & Schember and Kirkland & Ellis represented the group in a class-action lawsuit[15] filed against the District of Columbia.