Protester Throws Shoe at Chinese Premier During Cambridge Speech

by Rob Walker | February 2, 2009 at 09:04 am

751 views | 24 Recommendations | 8 comments

A protester hurled his shoe at the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao while he gave a speech at Cambridge University in Britain. He shouted 'This is a scandal!' as he was pulled away by security.

The protester was upset that the university would allow Jiabao to speak to students and the press. Only hours earlier British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had spoken to the media and called for further trade and relations with China.

The shoe landed one meter short of the premier.

A SPEECH by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at Britain's Cambridge University has been interrupted by a protester who threw a shoe at him and shouted: "This is a scandal".
Security staff bundled the protester out of a concert hall at the university, where Mr Wen was giving the speech on the last day of a five-nation tour of Europe.

The shoe landed on the stage about a metre from Mr Wen.

The shoe landed on the stage about a metre from the Chinese leader.

The protester, who was held by university security guards, shouted: "How can the university prostrate itself with this dictator?"

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Fripouille

at 14:33 on February 2nd, 2009

I read this story elsewhere an hour or two ago. While I do agree that there is humour value to it, I cannot, I'm afraid, see what's "important" about it as Rachel claims.

This is not the Bush shoe story, which was a story which had important and worldwide relevance, and even serious ramifications.

More "important" in my eyes would be news articles relating and analysing what Mr Wen Jiabao actually said! (I haven't yet found the content of his speech!!).

I see no intrinsic importance in the fact that (who I read as being) a protesting student in England throws a shoe at a politician, a gesture that has nothing to do with Chinese or Western culture, but everything to do with a publicity stunt that's getting more attention than it deserves....

What's next? A Swedish Member of Parliament gets a shoe thrown at him by an angry taxpayer!! lol :-)

Excellent day to all....

Uwe Paschen

at 21:22 on February 2nd, 2009

I think what is important even though it seems irrelevant is that the Bush incident earlier in Iraq seems to become a fashion of sorts towards high raking leaders with whom one may disagree strongly. Being in Briton though the show thrower is unlikely to receive the same sort of harsh sentence then his counterpart in Iraq did.

Fripouille

at 09:24 on February 3rd, 2009

Hi Paschen!

Yip, it's a fashion. I just saw footage of shoes being thrown by people at a small-scale demonstration in France. Better than grenades I suppose......but, again, the article was more about the throwing of shoes than the issue at hand. I must admit that that that seems irrelevant to me.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but the trendy importation of a respectful muslim tradition that didn't have anything to do with expressing disagreement with international politicians, but rather family and commercial differences, when it was originally conceived (I've done a little research here) just doesn't "do" it for me.

As you say, the guy in England shall not get the same treatment. (He'll just be seen for what he is).

Anyway, seems like it's here to stay for a while, whatever we may or may not think!

Seeya!

Uwe Paschen

at 17:24 on February 3rd, 2009

Well, good point Fripouille, I have to agree with you.

LOOQ (not verified)

at 03:27 on February 4th, 2009

It seems more about the culture, in China, people may take foreigners as guests, and treat with respect, so the issue itself seems too rude to acceppt for the Chinese.

Babel-Fish

at 08:59 on February 4th, 2009

I have one question to make...

Was the shoe made in china?

To be serious someones got to react the right way with a joke and say please throw the other one they are my size. Then just get on with the speech.

There is sole in the story thus the recommendation., lol

Barry ORegan

at 21:43 on February 4th, 2009

Wasn't there a Chinese Proverb about a Man who complained until be met a man with no shoes. The man with no shoes complained, until he heard about a guy getting a Bullet in the back of the head for throwing his!

Ryan Svensson (not verified)

at 06:29 on February 8th, 2009

I read from many other websites reporting this incident with a lot more details about the real story behind. this website only 'selectively' reported one small aspect of this whole event (seems intentional). Where is the wonderful bit about how Mr Wen jiabao reacted immediately after the shoe landed on the stage...?? and where is the bit of story that Mr Wen jiabao requested the university not to trouble that naive student?? I think Mr Wen did a great job delivering the speech. It demonstrated how determined the Chinese are to be friends of the UK and the world... It is not easy to manage a country with 1.2 billion people... plus the whole world right now relies on China's growth to combat the global recession... so show some respect!

furthermore, Where is the fairness in journalism? and if we all wear coloured glasses to look at people, label them before even trying to understand who they are, then we fail. Where is the respect?

Disappointed to see this website is so 'lack of respect' also in reporting the event in its complete accuracy. I can tell you that I will not be coming back to this site ever again!

people, find a site where you get fair journalism, not some water-downed version crap.