Disorder has broken out in Washington DC amid tight security ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration.

A group of masked protesters, some carrying flags bearing the anarchist symbol, were filmed smashing windows, running through the streets and clashing with police.

One man dressed in black smashed the window of a McDonald's with a hammer, while others tipped over bins around an hour before the start of Mr Trump's ceremony.

Broken windows at businesses in Washington after a confrontation with protestors shortly before Donald Trump's inauguration. (AP)

A Bank of America branch and a Starbucks were among the other buildings targeted. Some were armed with bats and long wooden poles and there were unconfirmed reports of looting.

Police responded with tear gas, pepper spray, stun grenades and water cannon to disperse the protesters, who fled away from lines of officers.

Police cordoned off a crowd of around 100 demonstrators who chanted “hands up, don't shoot", as a helicopter hovered overhead.

Supporters shouted "let them go" amid fears of mass arrests.

Trump Inauguration protests around the World Show all 14 1 /14 Trump Inauguration protests around the World Trump Inauguration protests around the World Activists from Greenpeace display a message reading "Mr President, walls divide. Build Bridges!" along the Berlin wall in Berlin on January 20, 2017 to coincide with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United State Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World An activist holds up a sign at the "We Stand United" rally on the eve of US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration outside Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York on January 19, 2017 in New York Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Protesters burn a U.S. flag and a mock flag with pictures of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside the U.S. embassy in metro Manila, Philippines Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Filipino protestors hold placcards during a protest rally in front of the US embassy in Manila, Philippines, 20 January 2017. On the eve of President-elect Donald Trump's inaguration as the 45th president of the United States, Filipinos and Fil-Americans held a protest in front of the US embassy in Manila to denounce the incoming US president. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Hong Kong police officers and security guards look on as an anarchist protester belonging to the Disrupt J20 movement sits after using a heavy duty D-lock and motorcycle lock to chain himself to a railing at the entrance gate to the Consulate General of the United States of America in Hong Kong to protest the inauguration of United States President-elect Donald Trump, Hong Kong, China, 20 January 2017. Two activists were arrested and taken away by Hong Kong police during the demonstration. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A banner is unfurled on London's Tower Bridge, organised by Bridges Not Walls - a partnership between grassroots activists and campaigners working on a range of issues, formed in the wake of Donald Trump's election, which aims to build bridges to a world free from hatred and oppression. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Protesters chain themselves to an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Washington, DC, U.S. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Bridges Not Walls banner dropped from Molenbeek bridge in Brussels, Belgium, 20 January 2017, in an Greenpeace action part of protests Wolrd protest in solidarity with people in the US, the day Donald Trump sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A woman holds an anti-U.S. President-elect Donald Trump placard during a rally in Tokyo, Japan, Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A Palestinian protester holds a placard during a demonstration against the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and against US President-elect Donald Trump, on January 20, 2017, near the settlement of Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Banners on North Bridge in Edinburgh as part of the Bridges Not Walls protest against US President Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World Russian artist Vasily Slonov (L) and his assistant carry a life-sized cutout, which is an artwork created by Slonov and titled "Siberian Inauguration", before its presentation on the occasion of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, in a street in Krasnoyarsk, Russia Getty Trump Inauguration protests around the World A woman holds a banner during a march to thank outgoing President Barack Obama and reject US President-elect Donald Trump before his inauguration at a park in Tokyo, Japan, 20 January 2017. EPA Trump Inauguration protests around the World Palestinian demonstrators protesting this week against a promise by Donald Trump to re-locate the US embassy to Jerusalem Reuters

Reporters at the scene said protesters attempted to break lines of police wearing full riot gear and wielding batons, but were pushed back by pepper spray and stun grenades.

Observers said the disorder appeared to be organised, with the black-clad group splitting from a larger protest before launching the wave of vandalism.

Police detained about 50 people and said they had charged numerous people with rioting. The group of detainees became a flash point after Mr Trump was sworn in, when a crowd of several hundred that had formed to call for their release turned violent, with some throwing bottles and rocks at police who responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

Two police officers sustained minor injuries from people who were trying to avoid arrest, police said.

Some groups had vowed to disrupt the inauguration ceremony, with members of #disruptj20 attempting to block ticket holders from entering the venue at security checkpoints.

At one checkpoint, protesters wore orange jumpsuits with black hoods over their faces to represent prisoners in US detention at Guantanamo Bay, which Barack Obama pledged to close.

Black Lives Matter and feminist groups also made their voices heard. Outside the International Spy Museum, protesters in Russian hats marched with signs calling Mr Trump “Putin's Puppet” and “Kremlin employee of the month".

Most Trump supporters walking to the inauguration past Union Station ignored protesters outside the railway station, but some shouted back and argued with demonstrators.

“Get a job,” shouted Doug Rahm, a Bikers for Trump member from Philadelphia. “Stop crying snowflakes, Trump won.”

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One group stationed themselves in Washington offering out 4,200 free joints to campaign for the legalisation of cannabis, while the Answer Coalition demonstrated at the US Navy Memorial and in Freedom Plaza, near the White House.

A group calling itself Occupy Inauguration rallied at Meridian Hill Park and film-maker Michael Moore was to speak at an event in Washington's McPherson Square.

Outgoing homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson said 28,000 officials were being deployed for the security operation in Washington, including more than 3,000 police officers and 5,000 members of the National Guard.

The clashes came as Mr Trump was due to make his way to the US Capital to be sworn in as US President.

"It all begins today!" he tweeted on Friday morning. "The movement continues - the work begins."

Thousands of people have been protesting against his inauguration around the world, with activists hanging banners along the River Thames in London as part of the #bridgesnotwalls movement.