ST PAUL - Several anti-war protestors disrupted John McCain's primetime convention speech on Thursday minutes after he had accepted the Republican presidential nomination.
One protestor who sneaked into the crowd held up a black sign reading "You can't win an occupation," and started chanting, but was quickly drowned out by the crowd cheering "USA, USA."
Moments later a protestor in another part of the arena also started shouting slogans, but was bustled out by security, sparking angry chants from Republican delegates, and another chorus of "USA, USA."
Meanwhile, a confrontation between police and hundreds of anti-war protesters seeking to march on the Republican party's convention ended with the arrest of up to 200 people, US media reported on Friday.
On the final night of the party's convention, the demonstrators had sought to march to the Xcel Energy Center in St Paul where Republican delegates were gathered but the protesters were blocked by rows of police equipped with riot gear.
When protesters refused to disperse as ordered, a tense confrontation ensued on Thursday evening with demonstrators sitting down in the street about a mile from the convention hall.
More than 200 people were taken into custody on the Marion Street bridge, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.
Police used tear gas and pepper spray in the clash with demonstrators, and more than a dozen journalists were among those detained, the Star-Tribune said.
Commander Doug Holtz of the St Paul Police Department said "a couple of hundred" people had been arrested Thursday but the precise number would not be known until later Friday, the Los Angeles Times reported.
As of 10:30 pm (0300 GMT), the Ramsey County jail said about 90 demonstrators had been booked, according to the Times.
Police used snowplows, horses and dump trucks to seal off the city center of St Paul from the anti-war march.
The demonstrators had a permit to march but it expired hours before Republican presidential nominee John McCain was due to deliver his acceptance speech.
McCain is a staunch supporter of the US-led war in Iraq.
The police had rounded up some journalists, including Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.
In an interview with TheRealNews.com, Goodman said that she was arrested herself and two of her producers.
She criticized the widespread use of preemptive detention to silence dissent and prevent demonstrations.
Goodman also criticizes the national news media for its failure to give serious coverage of the excessive security.
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