Shoe reportedly thrown at Iranian president Ahmadinejad

Guardian UK ^ | 6 March 2009 | Robert Tait

[SolidWood]

When the Iraqi journalist, Muntazar al-Zaidi, hurled his shoes at the then-US president, George Bush, in December, Iranian officials declared him a hero and hailed his gesture as a mark of Islamic courage.

They were presumably less impressed this week when Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was similarly targeted during a visit to the north-western city of Urumiye.

Ahmadinejad found the shoe on the other foot as he waved to the crowd from an open-top car on his way to give a speech at a local stadium.

An Iranian website, Urumiye News, reported that a shoe was hurled at the president as his convoy drove through a central square. Security guards waded into the crowds but failed to find the culprit.

A hat was also thrown in Ahmadinejad's direction before his car sped away.

The event went unreported on mainstream Iranian news outlets but has been hotly discussed on the country's highly active blogosphere. Some pro-Ahmadinejad bloggers have dismissed the reports as rumours spread by "royalists" and "counter-revolutionaries".

[SolidWood]

Wonder whether the MSM will exploit this, as they did with the Bush shoe incident.

[SolidWood]

ping

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Yes, apparently they were not so elated at this incident. Amazing how perspective changes so fast for some people. I told my boys it was inappropriate to throw shoes at any world leader.

[P.O.E.]

I’d have said “Shoe fly don’t bother me”

[al baby]

I threw a shoe at my wife last week I won’t do that again

[chainsaw]

Oh Lordy. What size shoe was it. There expensive in Iran.

[cowboyway]

Somebody needs to hurl 671 grains of diplomacy at that little POS............

[John123]

Security guards waded into the crowds but failed to find the culprit.

Hint: It would be the guy wearing one shoe...

[LadyBuzz]

was it a Jimmy Choo? LOL

[SolidWood]

Considering Mahmoods size, even a baby shoe would suffice.

[agere_contra]

Interesting take from the usually demented Guardian.

[Rennes Templar]

Nature hath no fury like that of a woman whose husband threw a shoe at her.

[12Gauge687]

I thought shoe-throwing was mostly an Arab sign of disrespect. Considering all the shoe tosses in the Middle East, no wonder so many wear cheap sandals. Famous Footwear and DSW could open outlets just for shoe-throwing with slogans like: “Pick a size 8 to show your hate.”

[al baby]

no it was al baby’s shoes

[cake_crumb]

I was just wondering the same thing: will we see THIS over and over, 24/7 for a week?

Which is a greater act of Islamic courage: throwing a shoe at a man who believes in freedom and is prosecuting two wars to achieve it? Or throwing a shoe at a paranoid dictator bent on nuclear domination of the region?

[popdonnelly]

What an outrage! Throwing a shoe at a progressive third-World leader!

[DejaJude]

A hat was also thrown in Ahmadinejad's direction before his car sped away.

A hat? What's the significance of that?

[BallyBill]

A hat, as in “here's your hat, now get the @$%! out of here”

[Flycatcher]

A hat was also thrown in Ahmadinejad's direction

But not just any hat. It was the bowler worn by Oddjob from the movie "Goldfinger."

[cake_crumb]

“If the shoe doesn’t fit, you must throw it”?

[stevecmd]

I threw a shoe at my wife last week I won’t do that again

WOW !! And you still manage to type with two broken arms.

[cake_crumb]

"People became angry when the driver failed to stop to attend to the injured man. Eventually an ambulance in the motorcade was forced to take him to hospital after jeering crowds blocked its path."

He and Hillary should get along famously then. Birds of a feather.

[al baby]

she gave my lil friend a wrist burn kinda thing

[synbad600]

I can tell you: when I read this headline my jaw hit the floor.

[skeeter]

Wonder whether I’ll find a million in $100 dollar bills on my porch this morning.

[Popman]

Wonder whether the MSM will exploit this, as they did with the Bush shoe incident.

Why should they?

It is a legitimate news story, but it's not like Ahmadinejad is our President.

I would expect the MSM to report it without bias just like they should have reported the Bush incident without the vitriol and sophistry making it an indictment on his Presidential legacy rather than a lone loon who probably should have been detained in GITMO

[LUV W]

That shoe-hurler is probaby toast!

[Allegra]

An Iranian website, Urumiye News, reported that a shoe was hurled at the president as his convoy drove through a central square. Security guards waded into the crowds but failed to find the culprit.

I had a good hiding place.

[DejaJude]

Hint: It would be the guy wearing one shoe...

Wouldn't it be funny if everyone in the crowd only had one shoe? Kind of like a, "I am Spartacus" moment.

[SolidWood]

There is a persian proverb of “putting the hat on someone”... which means to dupe or to fool someone.

[DejaJude]

I had a good hiding place.

Bet you were wearing your good socks too. ;-)

[DejaJude]

There is a persian proverb of “putting the hat on someone”... which means to dupe or to fool someone.

I didn't know that. I know the saying of, "handing the hat" to someone as a way of saying it's time for them to go.

[tcrlaf]

“Wonder whether the MSM will exploit this, as they did with the Bush shoe incident.”

BREAKING LIFESTYLES UPDATE:
“Shoe-Throwing is only cool if thrown at REPUBLICANS! (Break)”

[DTogo]

Good idea for future Tea Parties and such: bring a poster of our Dear Leader and have everyone slap it with their shoe/sandal!

[edpc]

It was the bowler worn by Oddjob from the movie "Goldfinger."

Yes, but the shoe was thrown by Random Task from Austin Powers.

[dfwgator]

“I mean who throws a shoe? Honestly! You fight like a woman!”

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Considering Mahmoods size, even a baby shoe would suffice.

Oh, that was low. Well, then, so is he. We have a urinal where I work which is just the right level for him. It was originally intended for the handicapped, but we could put his name over it.

[Allegra]

After Zaidi's protest in Baghdad, Iranian officials paid tribute by holding several public shoe-throwing competitions in which contestants threw footwear at ­caricatures of Bush.

Reid-Pelosi-inspired undignified, immature behavior.

[null and void]

I’m stuned.

Well done al!

[nuconvert]

Thanks for the ping.

“Eventually an ambulance in the motorcade was forced to take him to hospital after jeering crowds blocked its path.”

An ambulance in a presidential motorcade.... Well, I guess if they’re going to mow people down, they ought to make it a regular thing.

[nuconvert]

“”People became angry when the driver failed to stop to attend to the injured man.”
“He and Hillary should get along famously then. Birds of a feather. “

Lol. Good one!

[GVnana]

15-minutes-of-fame moment.

[Flycatcher]

<<...coffee-in-nostril snort!...>>

[tpanther]

Looks like they’re ignoring it.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

One point missing from the article:

The person who threw their shoe at Ahmadinejad is 10 times braver than the one who through his shoe at President Bush. He'll probably pay for it with his life.

[boughtwithaprice]

Bush’s fault! He did it!

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Any world leader? Really?
Stalin deserves a shoe thrown at him.
So does Castro.

I say any “world leader” who is a dictator who executes and imprisons those who disagree with them deserves not only to have a thousand shoes thrown at him, his tenure should climax at the end of a rope.

Tyrants and especially murderous thug dictators deserve no sign of respect.

[machogirl]

only if it’s prada

[jveritas]

Excellent :)

[GOYAKLA]

What would happen if I sent a letter to the CHOSEN ONE with a picture of a shoe included?? Maybe some tea leaves,also.