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Protest Closes London
Petroleum Exchange
By BRUCE STANLEY Anti-war activists invaded the International Petroleum Exchange in central London on Monday, forcing the exchange to suspend trading. Two protesters from a group of about 30 who succeeded in entering the building were later removed from the premises, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said on condition of anonymity. The exchange is Europe's major center for trading in futures contracts for crude oil. The exchange said it suspended trading because of the anti-war demonstrators, according to the statement. It said it would review the situation later in the afternoon, giving no details. The protesters caused "a bit of a nuisance on the floor," said Rob Laughlin, managing director of GNI Man Financial. "We're checking to make sure everything is safe before we open again." Demonstrators continued their protest outside the exchange after the incident, police said. It was not clear if the two protesters who got into the building would face charges. � 2003 The
Associated Press |
