BET tried to show it's classier side with its BET Honors ceremony in DC Saturday, but hundreds of protesters outside the event were not having it.

That attempt was marred by several hundred protesters from the Enough is Enough coalition. Waving banners that said "I am not a Thug" or "I am not a Pimp" and chanting "BET lift us up don?t tear us down" they decried BET's portrayal of African Americans.

"Their programming denigrates women and glorifies criminal activities and it frankly is a public safety concern" Reverend Delmond Coates, the protest's organizer, told 9NEWS NOW.

Aquanetta Pate, who came to the protest with her pre-teen daughter, Autumn, asked rhetorically "If my daughter watches programming where the only things she sees are pimps, prostitutes and profanity how will she know that she is a princess and can grow up to be anything she wants?"

Inside DC's Warner Theater, the atmosphere was more celebratory as BET kicked off it's first annual BET Honors, which recognize "thinkers, trailblazers and trendsetters whose accomplishments serve as inspirations for current and future generations –" and Tyra Banks. Check out a list of the honorees and lots of pictures after the jump.

From BET:

TYRA BANKS – Tyra Banks is a supermodel, host and judge of the reality television show America’s Next Top Model, and is currently hosting her own Daytime Emmy Award-nominated talk show, The Tyra Banks Show.

JANICE BRYANT HOWROYD – Janice Bryant Howroyd is the chairman, chief executive officer and founder of ACT*1, a personnel servicing company that provides staffing, human resources and management solutions to Fortune 500 companies in many industries.

ALICIA KEYS – Alicia Keys is a nine-time Grammy Award-winning R&B and soul singer, songwriter and pianist, who has sold more than 25 million records worldwide.

RICHARD PARSONS – Richard Parsons is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Time Warner Inc., whose businesses include filmed entertainment, interactive services, television networks, cable systems and publishing. It was recently announced that he will be stepping down as CEO on December 31, 2007, but will remain as Chairman.

CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) was elected in November 2006 to her ninth term in the House of Representatives, serving the 35th District of California, which represents a large part of South Central Los Angeles, the communities of Westchester and Playa Del Ray, as well as the diverse cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood and Lawndale.

DR. CORNEL WEST – Dr. Cornel West is a professor of religion and African American studies at Princeton University, and is considered one of America’s most gifted, provocative and important public intellectuals. He has won numerous awards, including the American Book Award, and has received more than 20 honorary degrees.

[WI]