Egyptian presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq attacked by shoe-throwers

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Egypt

Ahmed Shafiq, who served as the last prime minister during Hosni Mubarak’s rule and is now running for president, was met by a hostile crowd when he went to cast his ballot Wednesday.

Critics of his role in the former regime were waiting for Shafiq in front of his polling station, yelling: “Here comes the thief!” When he walked out, the protesters rushed toward Shafiq’s car and several of them threw shoes at him. This form of protest was reminiscent of the action taken by Iraqi journalist Mountazer al-Zaïdi, who threw a shoe at George W. Bush in 2008.

Shafiq’s team has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of being behind this incident, which was met with a flood of satirical comments on social networks, in particular on Twitter:

"Here's the latest shoe of anger! Directed at Shafiq."

Alkhattary @Truthcaller

I really hope the shoes weren’t new; what a waste that would be.

آلاء مبــدعـة تويتر @lolla_abdoo

Statement from the electoral commission: from now on, Shafiq's symbol on voting bulletins is a shoe! (In Egypt, where 40 percent of the population is illiterate, each candidate is represented by a symbol on voting bulletins)

abdelfattah sherif @AbdelfattahS

The only thing that's certain in these elections is that Ahmed Shafiq won... the most shoes ;)

Other Internet users, however, denounced the act:

برنامج مصر الجديدة @Masr_Egdida

What they did to Ahmed Shafiq is unacceptable; it goes against the very principle of democracy

ثقل بن ذيبان العجمي @Thegal_alajmy

What a strange way to behave toward a presidential candidate. Some Egyptians call for democracy but abide by the law of the jungle!