16 FEB 2005
Protesters with foghorns and whistles burst into the International Petroleum Exchange on Wednesday, disrupting oil trading in the world’s second largest energy futures market on the day the Kyoto Protocol on global warming came into force.
The invasion into the trading pit by about 35 demonstrators forced the exchange to suspend open outcry trading for more than an hour.
But they were not prepared for the oil traders who "kicked and punched them back on to the pavement."
Greenpeace executive director Steven Tindale said traders tried to force several of the protesters out of the trading pit.
“We were nonviolent and peaceful and we made it clear that’s what we were there for, but there were quite a few blows raining down on our heads,” Tindale said.
“They pulled a metal bookcase down on our heads. They were trying to use that to push us back out so that was the moment we decided to retreat for everyone’s safety.”
One protester was injured. He was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.
"We bit off more than we could chew. They were just Cockney barrow boy spivs. Total thugs," one protester was reported saying.
Another demostrator was reported saying "I took on a Texan Swat team at Esso last year and they were angels compared with this lot."
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