The big chill

the long version

Entirely unreported in the national media, the landmark protests of president George W. Bush's inauguration day are spotlighted in this firsthand journalistic account of the massive crowd that gathered in Washington, D.C. After the chaotic and much-disputed 2000 election and subsequent recount, hundreds of thousands of protestors stood in the freezing rain for hours and attracted an unprecedented police and military presence, causing the new president to abandon the traditional walk along the parade route. Crisp, telling details capture the scenes of violence between the police and protestors, the sharpshooters lining the roofs, the ominous chants of the group known as the Black Bloc, the wacky protest signs, and the diversity of ages and backgrounds represented by the protestors.