Eco-terrorists from Greenpeace had hoped to paralyze oil trading at the exchange in London. But they were met with some not-so-passive resistance.

WHEN 35 Greenpeace protesters stormed the International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) yesterday they had planned the operation in great detail.

What they were not prepared for was the post-prandial aggression of oil traders who kicked and punched them back on to the pavement.

"We bit off more than we could chew. They were just Cockney barrow boy spivs. Total thugs," one protester said, rubbing his bruised skull. "I've never seen anyone less amenable to listening to our point of view."

Another said: "I took on a Texan Swat team at Esso last year and they were angels compared with this lot." Behind him, on the balcony of the pub opposite the IPE, a bleary-eyed trader, pint in hand, yelled: "Sod off, Swampy." [...]

Last night Greenpeace said two protesters were in hospital, one with a suspected broken jaw, the other with concussion.

Many more protestors spend the night in the pokey. James Taranto notes, "It's pretty clear who the thugs are here, and it's not the Cockney barrow boy spivs."