On December 14, 2008, while attending a news conference in Baghdad, Muntazer al-Zaidi (Iraqi television journalist Muntadar) took off both of his shoes and launched them at US President George W. Bush. In Muslim eyes the throwing of a shoe is considered a deadly insult. Al-Zaidi was sentenced to three years in prison for his acts, but viewed as a hero throughout the Middle East.
This triggered a shoe throwing epidemic all over the world…including most recently Iran. The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had a shoe hurled at him March 9, 2009 as he drove through the city of Urumiye in an open topped vehicle. The story never made media headlines; presumably because the individual who threw the shoe was never caught. The story did find its way out on the Iranian blogosphere. The blogs also reported a hat was thrown at the president also before the vehicle was able to pull off.
Many “pro-Ahmadinejad” bloggers reported that it was all just a “rumor spread by monarchists and anti-revolutionaries”, common terms for members of Iranian opposition.
It is funny this should happen in Iran, for after Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush in Baghdad, the Iranian officials held a public shoe throwing competition where people had the chance to throw apparel at posters and caricatures of George W. Bush.
Craig Walker(Iran)
Showing posts with label Iraanian president. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iraanian president. Show all posts
Sunday, March 15, 2009
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