Mayor Carolyn Peterson of Ithaca Becomes Latest Target of Shoe Throwing Attacks

Following in the “footsteps” of now infamous shoe thrower, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, there have been a series of new flying loafer attacks.  Zaidi of course, was the journalist that hurled his dress shoe at Bush during a press conference with President Maliki of Iraq. And earlier this week the Prime Minister of China was attacked by a flying sneaker during a speech at Cambridge University in London.  Then yesterday, the Israeli ambassador to Sweden, Benny Dagan, was hit in the chest by a red Nike during a speech at the University of Stockholm.

And now the shoe attacks have hit small town America.  In last night’s common council meeting in Ithaca, Mayor Carolyn Peterson was the target.  Protester, and former Weather Underground member Robin Palmer spoke during an open-mic opportunity at the beginning of the meeting.  He was speaking out against the city’s Community Sanctuary Resolution.  The resolution declares Ithaca a “Community of Sanctuary, thus respecting the rights of its residents to support lawfully and proactively military personnel and veterans who are organizing to stop the wars in and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and all future violations of the United Nations Nuremberg Charters.”

The shoes fell short of Mayor Peterson, and the following conversation ensued:

Palmer (protester) said, “I want my shoes back.”

“You’re not getting your shoes back,” Peterson responded.

Palmer said, “I’m not getting them back? Then I’m not leaving.”

He sat down and insisted he would not leave until he was arrested.

Read the full article from the Ithaca Journal here.