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Right now, after taking a look at protest fashions across our country and abroad, we find 'hurling a shoe' has become a fad and is on its way to reach a cult status. Something we all have witnessed and it has now become pretty much a part of our lives. Don't we just take the elevator every day; well it now might seem a part of our daily lives. Let us trace back this phenomenon, for a better understanding of why this medium of protest has become a powerful tool of expression.
Janardhan Dwivedi joins shoegate list - 6/6/2011
We start with Congress General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi, who faced the prospect of getting a shoe in the face at a press conference where he was busy denouncing Baba Ramdev. His attacker, posing as Rajasthani reporter Sunil Kumar, went up to the dais where Dwivedi was seated next to Congress spokesman Manish Tiwary, read out a question on Ramdev, and waved his shoes at him.
Congrees workers quickly ounced on the man and rained blows on him. He was later taken away from the conference room.
This attack follows a long line of 'shoegate' incidents, a medium of protest that became popular after George W. Bush displayed good reflexes to dodge a Size 10 in Iraq. Since then, our very own Home Minister P Chidambaram who had a shoe scare in 2009 at a press conference, Pakistan President Zardari encountered one in Britain and Omar Abdullah met with such an incident on Independence Day last year. Let's rewind and try to make some sense of these fascinating events.
On a whirlwind trip shrouded in secrecy and marred by dissent, President George Bush hailed progress in the wars that defined his presidency and got a size-10 reminder of his unpopularity when a man hurled two shoes at him during a news conference in Iraq.
"This is a farewell kiss, you dog!" shouted the protester in Arabic, later identified as Muntadar Al-Zaidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt. Bush ducked both shoes as they whizzed past his head and landed with a thud against the wall behind him. "It was a size 10," Bush joked later.
"There is still more work to be done," Bush said after his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. It was at that point the journalist stood up and threw a shoe from about 20 feet away. Bush ducked, and it narrowly missed his head. The second shoe came quickly, and Bush ducked again while several Iraqis grabbed the man and dragged him to the floor. In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt. Bush brushed off the incident, comparing it to political protests at home. "So what if a guy threw his shoe at me?" he said.Following the incident, The New York Times reported that Al-Zaidi was embraced around the Arab world. Al-Zaidi found support from his employer, Awn Hussain Al Khashlok, thousands of protesters in Iraq, some Iraqi politicians and from "around 200 lawyers" including some U.S. citizens. Al-Zaidi's action was criticised by the government of Nouri al-Maliki. In Tikrit a copper statue of three meters height was dedicated to his action as a monument. It had his shoe's shape and an honouring poem as an inscription. It was designed by Laith al-Amari. The statue was taken down according to police order shortly after *****ion. Al Zaidi has been named as the world's third most powerful Arab, in the Arabian Business Power 100 list 2009.On 3 March 2010, Blancox, a Columbian detergent manufacturer made an advertisement out of the shoe-throwing incident, by replacing the shoes with beautiful bouquets of flowers to signify 'fabric freshness and softness treasured in it'. Al-Zaidi has also been offered a six-door Mercedes, had a song written about him, had his incident reconstructed in an Afghan comedy sketch, and been offered the hand of a man's 20-year-old daughter in marriage. The young woman Amal Saad Gumaa said she likes the idea of being attached to a man she finds so honourable.
From Bush to Mush - 7/2/2011
A man threw a shoe at former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf when he was addressing a gathering in London, but the shoe didn't hit the former Pakistani military dictator.
Geo News reported that the shoe fell in the front rows and didn't reach the stage. Security personnel quickly nabbed the shoe-thrower and whisked him out of the venue. The detained man raised slogans in favour of Afia Siddiqui, who is presently in US detention. Siddiqui, a US-educated Pakistani woman, has been found guilty of trying to kill American servicemen in Afghanistan.
Gently says Chidambaram - 7/4/2009
A journalist threw a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram at a press conference in New Delhi , protesting against the minister's reply on his question on CBI's clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 Sikh riots case. The shoe did not hit the minister and the journalist, a senior reporter with Dainik Jagran, was taken into custody.
"Please take him away," said Chidambaram who later added "gently, gently" as the journalist was escorted out of the press conference hall. Chidambaram said "I forgive him". As the action caused a flutter in the hall, a composed Chidambaram appealed to the reporters, "let not the action of one emotional person hijack the entire press conference. I have answered his questions to the best of my ability."
The press conference was being held at the Congress headquarters where Chidambaram was presenting his party's report card on terrorism. The journalist asked the minister whether letting Tytler off the hook ahead of the elections was not politically motivated. To which Chidambaram replied that CBI had only presented a report to the court and it was up to the court to either accept or reject it. The journalist wanted to ask another question but Chidambaram said he did not want to get into an argument and refused to take further questions.
The Zardari Effect - 8/8/2010
A man threw both his shoes at Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari when he was addressing a public meeting in Birmingham. The shoes landed just short of him. The Telegraph Sunday reported that Zardari, who has been criticised for visiting Britain while there were floods in his country, was in the middle of his speech when an elderly man in the crowd hurled both shoes at him.Zardari had dismissed claims that he should have stayed at home. He said that the visit had resulted in the floods receiving far more international attention than they might otherwise have done. Zardari said: "These meetings are planned months in advance, and my coming abroad has drawn more attention to them than I myself would have been able to draw."
Omar's near miss - 15/8/2010
A junior-level police officer flung a shoe at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during the Independence Day function in the high-security Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar. An assistant sub-inspector of police, who was sitting in the stadium along with other VIPs in the enclosure behind the podium where Abdullah unfurled the national flag, flung a brown shoe at the chief minister.Security personnel immediately whisked away the officer, who was in civvies. He also tried to display a black flag as he was being taken away by the security men. The chief minister ignored the incident, saying: "It is better people throw shoes instead of stones as this will not injure anybody." The main parade, however, continued as Abdullah took the salute.
Jiabao at the receiving end - 2/2/2009
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao faced the shoe embarrassment during his visit to Britain. Martin Jahnke, a 27-year-old graduate student at the university's pathology department, was arrested on Feb 2, 2009 for throwing a shoe at Wen, who was giving a speech on the global economy to an audience of mostly Chinese students during an official visit to Britain. Unruffled by the incident and Jiabao quickly added (in Chinese): "This despicable behavior cannot stand in the way of friendship between China and the UK."
His three days trip ended with more protests and arrests.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda gets a taste - 23/8/2010
A jobless youth hurled a shoe at Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at a rally in Mahindergarh on Aug 23. The shoe landed hurled by Shakti Singh of Baniani village in Rohtak district landed close to the dais from where Hooda was about to address the gathering. Policemen soon got hold of him took him away for questioning.
LK Advani gets wooden shoe - 17/4/2009
BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani became victim of a shoe attack when a party member hurled his wooden footwear at him in Madhya Pradesh's Katni town. Advani was about to settle in his chair on the dais when Pawas Agarwal, a former district vice-president and chief of the party's local youth wing, who was seated in the front row, targeted him with his khadau, which he had borrowed from his father this morning.
White sneaker for Manmohan Singh 26/4/2009
A 28-year-old youth hurled a shoe at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during an election rally in Ahmedabad. Security personnel immediately detained the shoe thrower and he was taken to city crime branch office. The incident took place few minutes after the PM started his address. Manmohan Singh visited Ahmedabad for the first time in connection with ongoing general elections.
'Broken' Berlusconi - 13/12/2009
A protestor broke Silvio Berlusconi's nose and teeth when he hurled a small replica of Milan's gothic cathedral at him. Identified as a 42-year-old Massimo Tartaglia, the attacker hit the Italian Premier while he was signing autographs at the end of a rally. Media reports said that Tartaglia has a history of mental illness and that he acted alone and without any political or militant interests at heart. A day after the attack Tartaglia wrote and apology to the Prime Minister expressing his "heartfelt regret for a superficial, cowardly and rash act in which he did not recognize himself." Meanwhile, Berlusconi the wealthiest man in Italy, with the highest number of scandals in his kitty is still nursing the fracture on his nose, cut lips and two broken teeth.
Schwarzenegger egged - 4/9/2003
Actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger got egged during the California recall election as he shook hands with audience on his way to the podium way back in 2003. The former bodybuilder ignored the attack and continued greeting the crowd. On stage he took off his sports jacket and addressed the gathering in his shirt. "You have such a fantastic life, Arnold, you make millions of dollars to do movies and all those kinds of things, why do you want to do this?" Schwarzenegger asked the crowd rhetorically in his address after bearing with the egg attacks. The egg splattered on the back of his left shoulder and even as an aide tried to wipe it off, he proceeded with his speech.
Bill Clinton gets egg stain - 17/5/2001
Former United States President Bill Clinton also faced public rage. He was hit by a raw egg by a Polish protestor in Warsaw way back in 2001. Clinton claimed to be strolling in the downtown Zamkowy and shrugged off the incident saying it is good for young people to be angry about political issues. The egg hit Clinton on the arm as he stepped out of an antique store."I had an interesting encounter with an anti-globalist. But thank goodness his aim was not very good when he threw the egg," Clinton later quipped at the seminar. American security personnel wrestled the assailant to the ground and Clinton took off his jacket to continue his walk, signing autographs and greeting tourists. Clinton is in Warsaw as part of a paid speaking tour of Europe.Seen in the image is Polish police and US secret service bringing down the 19-year-old man who he threw an egg at the former US President.
A man threw both his shoes at Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari when he was addressing a public meeting in Birmingham. The shoes landed just short of him. The Telegraph Sunday reported that Zardari, who has been criticised for visiting Britain while there were floods in his country, was in the middle of his speech when an elderly man in the crowd hurled both shoes at him.Zardari had dismissed claims that he should have stayed at home. He said that the visit had resulted in the floods receiving far more international attention than they might otherwise have done. Zardari said: "These meetings are planned months in advance, and my coming abroad has drawn more attention to them than I myself would have been able to draw."
Omar's near miss - 15/8/2010
A junior-level police officer flung a shoe at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during the Independence Day function in the high-security Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar. An assistant sub-inspector of police, who was sitting in the stadium along with other VIPs in the enclosure behind the podium where Abdullah unfurled the national flag, flung a brown shoe at the chief minister.Security personnel immediately whisked away the officer, who was in civvies. He also tried to display a black flag as he was being taken away by the security men. The chief minister ignored the incident, saying: "It is better people throw shoes instead of stones as this will not injure anybody." The main parade, however, continued as Abdullah took the salute.
Jiabao at the receiving end - 2/2/2009
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao faced the shoe embarrassment during his visit to Britain. Martin Jahnke, a 27-year-old graduate student at the university's pathology department, was arrested on Feb 2, 2009 for throwing a shoe at Wen, who was giving a speech on the global economy to an audience of mostly Chinese students during an official visit to Britain. Unruffled by the incident and Jiabao quickly added (in Chinese): "This despicable behavior cannot stand in the way of friendship between China and the UK."
His three days trip ended with more protests and arrests.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda gets a taste - 23/8/2010
A jobless youth hurled a shoe at Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at a rally in Mahindergarh on Aug 23. The shoe landed hurled by Shakti Singh of Baniani village in Rohtak district landed close to the dais from where Hooda was about to address the gathering. Policemen soon got hold of him took him away for questioning.
LK Advani gets wooden shoe - 17/4/2009
BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani became victim of a shoe attack when a party member hurled his wooden footwear at him in Madhya Pradesh's Katni town. Advani was about to settle in his chair on the dais when Pawas Agarwal, a former district vice-president and chief of the party's local youth wing, who was seated in the front row, targeted him with his khadau, which he had borrowed from his father this morning.
White sneaker for Manmohan Singh 26/4/2009
A 28-year-old youth hurled a shoe at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during an election rally in Ahmedabad. Security personnel immediately detained the shoe thrower and he was taken to city crime branch office. The incident took place few minutes after the PM started his address. Manmohan Singh visited Ahmedabad for the first time in connection with ongoing general elections.
'Broken' Berlusconi - 13/12/2009
A protestor broke Silvio Berlusconi's nose and teeth when he hurled a small replica of Milan's gothic cathedral at him. Identified as a 42-year-old Massimo Tartaglia, the attacker hit the Italian Premier while he was signing autographs at the end of a rally. Media reports said that Tartaglia has a history of mental illness and that he acted alone and without any political or militant interests at heart. A day after the attack Tartaglia wrote and apology to the Prime Minister expressing his "heartfelt regret for a superficial, cowardly and rash act in which he did not recognize himself." Meanwhile, Berlusconi the wealthiest man in Italy, with the highest number of scandals in his kitty is still nursing the fracture on his nose, cut lips and two broken teeth.
Schwarzenegger egged - 4/9/2003
Actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger got egged during the California recall election as he shook hands with audience on his way to the podium way back in 2003. The former bodybuilder ignored the attack and continued greeting the crowd. On stage he took off his sports jacket and addressed the gathering in his shirt. "You have such a fantastic life, Arnold, you make millions of dollars to do movies and all those kinds of things, why do you want to do this?" Schwarzenegger asked the crowd rhetorically in his address after bearing with the egg attacks. The egg splattered on the back of his left shoulder and even as an aide tried to wipe it off, he proceeded with his speech.
Bill Clinton gets egg stain - 17/5/2001
Former United States President Bill Clinton also faced public rage. He was hit by a raw egg by a Polish protestor in Warsaw way back in 2001. Clinton claimed to be strolling in the downtown Zamkowy and shrugged off the incident saying it is good for young people to be angry about political issues. The egg hit Clinton on the arm as he stepped out of an antique store."I had an interesting encounter with an anti-globalist. But thank goodness his aim was not very good when he threw the egg," Clinton later quipped at the seminar. American security personnel wrestled the assailant to the ground and Clinton took off his jacket to continue his walk, signing autographs and greeting tourists. Clinton is in Warsaw as part of a paid speaking tour of Europe.Seen in the image is Polish police and US secret service bringing down the 19-year-old man who he threw an egg at the former US President.
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