Facebook is facing demands from Trump administration lawyers for account information of anti-government activists.

The Justice Department has demanded that the social media giant had over information from three accounts which were used to organise anti-Trump protests on inauguration day.

Should the department be successful it would be able to identify thousands of people who "liked" the Facebook pages.

Donald Trump's inauguration in January was marked with violent protests which saw 217 demonstrators arrested and six police officers injured.

At one point demonstrators smashed windows and hammered on windows of limousines as they passed by.

Police used smoke bombs to disperse the crowds.

The Department of Justice argues that the website DisruptJ20.org, was used to organize "a violent riot."