Abortion protesters won court permission Sunday to demonstrate along the route of President Clinton’s inaugural parade after the government tried to keep them away.

Acting on an emergency motion by the Christian Defense Coalition, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia allowed up to 25 protesters from the group to demonstrate on Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalks when the parade goes by today.

Some members of the group said they planned to hold 4-foot photographs of aborted fetuses.

Director Rev. Patrick Mahoney said he had hoped to have at least 75 protesters at the event but “we can still get our message across” with 25. “It’s a great day for free speech,” he said.

He characterized the ruling as meaning “this administration cannot have a sanitized inaugural parade excluding people who are critical of the president.”