The barbarians were at the gates – the pagoda gates – in the capital’s Sen Sok district, where two were arrested for insulting monks yesterday.

Seeing one of his brothers standing next to the temple chatting with three drinkers, a 29-year-old monk shouted for him to leave the louts behind and come back.

The words didn’t fall so sweetly on the men’s ears, however, and they pushed the venerable duo back into the temple and grabbed their bag.

Cops were called and one of the attackers managed to sprint away, but his boozing buddies were taken to headquarters to enlighten officers on their version of the events.

DAP