Anti-War Protesters Raid London Oil Exchange

Anti-War Protesters Raid London Oil Exchange
Mon March 17, 2003 10:17 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - Anti-war protesters broke into London's International Petroleum Exchange on Monday and halted business at Europe's largest oil futures trading hub.
Carrying banners such as "Oil fuels war" about 15 people evaded guards at the building in London's financial district, home to multi-billion-dollar trade in Brent crude oil futures.

"There is a lot of hooting and hollering and there have been a couple of altercations," a trader said.

Demonstrators said one or two of their number were taken to hospital after sustaining injuries in fights on the trading floor.

"We want to expose the links between the war economy and the oil economy," said Andy Thomas, a 35-year-old protester. "It is clear the U.S. has a strategic interest in controlling and releasing Iraqi oil reserves."

The exchange remained shut at 1515 GMT. The IPE declined comment except to confirm the closure.

The trading floor was evacuated after the raid, but police arrived soon afterwards carrying chain cutters. Anti-war groups also staged dramatic "die-ins" elsewhere in Britain on Monday, smearing themselves with fake blood and pretending to be dead at military bases and outside government offices.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=2392414