Pat Dollard | Young Americans

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Residents of Baghdad’s eastern Sadr City on Monday took to the streets calling for the release of Muntadher al-Zaydi, a correspondent for al-Boghdadiya satellite channel, a station based in Cairo, who threw a pair of shoes at U.S. President George Bush during a joint press conference with the Iraqi premier.

The demonstrators headed towards the headquarters of the Iraqi press syndicate in Baghdad’s northern area of al-Waziriya.

President Bush quickly ducked when a shoe was hurled at him Sunday. Bush ducked again as al-Maliki put out his arm to block the second shoe.

Secret Service and Iraqi security agents pounced on al-Zaydi. They wrestled him to the ground before dragging him from the room.

Zaydi, a young man of no more than 30 years old, has worked for al-Boghdadiya since its establishment in the wake of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. He had been kidnapped two years ago by unidentified gunmen while stepping out of his home in al-Bab al-Sharqi area, central Baghdad. A week later he was found lying on the ground near auto selling stores in al-Nahda square, Baghdad, at a late night hour.

Zaydi is considered one of Iraq’s most outspoken journalist critics of the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq. He had written several reports opposing the U.S. military presence in the country.

To Iraqis, the incident represented a major insult to the U.S. president.

The satellite channel al-Boghdadiya urged the Iraqi authorities to “immediately” release its correspondent.

AP:

“I’m not insulted. I don’t hold it against the government,” Bush said later in an interview with ABC News. “The guy wanted to get on TV and he did. I don’t know what his beef is, but whatever it is, I’m sure someone will hear it.”

Reaction in Iraq was swift but mixed, with some condemning the act and others applauding it. Television news stations throughout Iraq repeatedly showed footage of the incident, and newspapers carried headline stories.

In Baghdad’s Shiite slum of Sadr City, supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for protests against President Bush and demanded the release of the reporter, who was jailed after throwing his shoes. Thousands took to the streets Monday, chanting, “Bush, Bush, listen well: Two shoes on your head.”

Talking to a small group of reporters after the incident, Bush said, “I didn’t know what the guy said, but I saw his sole.” He told the reporters that “you were more concerned than I was. I was watching your faces.”

“I’m pretty good at ducking, as most of you know,” Bush joked, adding quickly that “I’m talking about ducking your questions.”

On a more serious note, he said, “I mean, it was just a bizarre moment, but I’ve had other bizarre moments in the presidency. I remember when Hu Jintao was here. Remember? We had the big event? He’s speaking, and all of a sudden I hear this noise—had no earthly idea what was taking place, but it was the Falun Gong woman screaming at the top of her lungs (near the ceremony on the White House lawn). It was kind of an odd moment.”

The Iraqi government condemned the act and demanded an on-air apology from Al-Baghdadia television, the Iraqi-owned station that employs Muntadar al-Zeidi. The reporter was taken into custody and reportedly was being held for questioning by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s guards and is being tested for alcohol and drugs.

“Al-Boghdadiya channel calls for the immediate release of its correspondent Zaydi in line with the new era of democracy and freedom of expression the U.S. authorities had promised the Iraqis,” according to a release by the channel as received by Aswat al-Iraq.