Pen Street

By Erica Christoffer

How do you tell a head of state you disagree with their ideals? Throwing a shoe seems to be a method increasing in popularity.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was the target of a shoe-throwing during his speech on the global economy at Cambridge University today.

Premier Wen Jiabao during speech at Britian's Cambridge University. (AP photo)

According to the London Times, a young man stood up, blew a whistle and shouted: “How can the university prostitute itself with this dictator? How can you listen to these lies?” The London Times describes the man as Western-looking with dark hair, and in his early 20s

But unlike the shoes lobbed at (Former) President George W. Bush in December during a press conference in Iraq, his shoe fell several feet short of the Premier. Journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi’s shoes came only inches from Bush’s head.

Zaidi is currently being held in Iraqi prison, charged with “aggression against a foreign head of state during an official visit.” If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in jail.

Thrown shoe (AP photo)

The Agence France-Presse reported that the Cambridge shoe-thrower was taken into custody.