Few protesters at Obama's inauguration

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- There appeared to be more vendors selling Barack Obama memorabilia than there were protesters at his inauguration Tuesday, observers said.

The New York Times reported that there were more protesters at the event protesting outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush than there were expressing displeasure with Obama taking office.

The newspaper reported there were some boos from the Capitol Mall when Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were introduced at Obama's swearing-in. And some booed when the Rev. Rick Warren of California's Saddleback Church delivered the invocation. Warren, a nationally known evangelical leader, opposes gay marriage.

In Lafayette Park, protesters from the Coalition for Peace had signs demanding an end to Islamic radicalism and Middle East oil imports. The group also expressed its support for Israel's invasion of Gaza.

"It is directed toward Barack Obama in that we want him to make a clear statement to stop Iran's march to nuclear weapons and Pakistan's threat against India," Marion Dreyfus of the coalition said of the group's protest. "We are also supporting Israel against the aggression of Hamas in Gaza."

Meanwhile, Code Pink, the liberal women's group, distributed pink ribbons asking the new administration to "stand up for peace."