Turkey joins the growing ’shoe’ club

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

The shoe was aimed at Education Minister Hüseyin Çelik in his hometown Van. Çelik attended a meeting in the eastern city of Van to introduce the Justice and Development Party, or AKP’s, mayoral candidates. As Çelik attempted to speak, Çetin İşik threw his shoe at Çelik. The shoe did not reach Çelik, but hit a journalist’s head, private NTV news channel reported. Çelik did not give any respond to the protest.

The protestor was arrested immediately after his attempt. He was a business-owner who was having business troubles due to the crisis and that is why he threw his shoe, according to reports.

Shoe throwing has become popular after an Iraqi journalist, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, threw his shoe at the former United States president George W. Bush in his visit to Iraq on Dec. 2008.

The second shoe protest occurred when a protester threw a shoe at China's Premier Wen Jiabao during his speech at Cambridge University in England.

The protester seated near the back of the auditorium stood up during Wen's speech Monday and shouted, "How can you listen to this unchallenged?" before throwing the shoe that landed some distance from the premier, reported The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Wen looked unruffled, paused a few seconds and then continued with his remarks. One of his aides quietly stepped onto the stage, picked up the gray athletic shoe and removed it.

Wen was unhurt and police arrested the man. The shoe-throwing incident came at the end of a three-day visit dogged by demonstrations over human rights and China’s policy in Tibet.