Ten million dollar shoe that beat about the Bush

By: Jami Makan

[ Posted On: 2008-12-22 ]

By JAMI MAKAN, in Nairobi, KENYA

This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog,” shouted 28-year-old Mr Muntadar al-Zaidi, a reporter for Cairo-based al-Baghdadiya TV who was angry with the war.

President Bush escaped injury, but the journalist was wrestled to the ground, and suffered a broken arm and rib.

Offers to buy his shoes for up to 10 million dollars (Sh770 million) are now floating around the Arab world, where Mr al-Zaidi has become something of a legend.

On Thursday, it emerged that an Egyptian offered his 20-year-old daughter to Zaidi as a bride and cobblers from Turkey to Lebanon claimed the shoes he hurled were made in their factories.

David vs Goliath

The David vs Goliath act was dismissed by a Bush spokeswoman as inconsequential, but Zaidi apologised to Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki for embarrassment.

For many years, world leaders have been accosted by angry citizens and protesters. Some, like the men who shot President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. and Indian nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi, were dangerous criminals intent on killing.

But others, like Mr al-Zaidi, just wanted a high-profile opportunity to spread their political messages.

Their actions did not harm the leaders, but they shocked the public and were usually followed by vigorous debate about larger social, political and economic issues.

In 1962, for example, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was pelted with rotten eggs during a visit to London. The eggs were thrown by white extremists who waved placards that read: “Hang Kenyatta!”.

But when he became Prime Minister and later President, he reached out to remaining white farmers and asked them to stay.

Again in the 1960s, tensions were rising between Mzee Kenyatta’s party, Kanu and the Kenya People’s Union led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

Following the opening of a Russian-funded Hospital in Kisumu in 1969, spectators threw stones at his departing convoy.

Police responded by firing into the crowd, killing people and wounding others. KPU was banned and its leaders, including Jaramogi, detained.

In Sydney, Australia, 23-year-old anthropology student David Kang fired two blank shots from a starter pistol at Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, during a public awards ceremony on January 26, 1994.

In court, Mr Kang claimed he was suffering from depression and was trying to highlight the plight of poor Cambodians. He was found guilty of threatening unlawful violence and was sentenced to 500 hours of community service.

He has now become a lawyer, and in 2005 he told reporters that “what happened was an extremely traumatic experience and I have certainly moved on in my life and now I have become a barrister here in Sydney.”

And a 29-year-old farm worker named Craig Evans threw an egg at the Labour Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott during his visit to north Wales on May 16, 2001.

He was protesting against the lack of government support for farmers after the outbreak of livestock diseases.

Mr Prescott, who had just stepped off a campaign bus ahead of a General Election — which his Labour party went on to win — did not ignore the egg.

After it hit the side of his face, he grabbed Mr Evans by the neck and punched him. According to the protester’s girlfriend, “Craig threw an egg at Mr Prescott, who was walking past after getting off the battle bus… then Mr Prescott grabbed him and thumped him.”

Mr Prescott defended his actions, saying: “I was attacked by an individual… in the melee that followed I clearly defended myself.”

Although Mr Evans was detained and Mr Prescott questioned by police, no action was taken against either.

And on December 30, 2002, lumps of mud were thrown toward former President Moi during the inauguration of President Kibaki at Uhuru Park, where thousands of Kenyans watched the swearing-in ceremony.

The outgoing Head of State was singing the national anthem when members of the crowd, eager for a new Kenyan leader, heckled. He also had mud thrown at his car when he attended the inauguration, although he was not personally hit.

And on May 19, 2004, two men threw condoms filled with purple flour at British Prime Minister Tony Blair during his weekly question-and-answer session in the House of Commons.

They were demanding equal child custody rights for divorced fathers. First, Mr Ron Davis threw two missiles from the front of the public gallery, reserved for ambassadors and special guests of MPs.

One hit Mr Blair’s back and the other landed at his feet. Then Mr Guy Harrison shouted and held up a poster before police rushed in.

All MPs had to leave while the powder was examined. The men were arrested and fined about £600, about Sh70,000, each.

Additional sources: Time, The Age, Reuters, CNN and BBC

Article Source: http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard

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