CJI Gavai among 50 eminent office-bearers worldwide to be attacked with shoes since 2008

Incidents of high officeholders being attacked with shoes often stem from grievances like war policies, corruption or economic hardship, echoing the associated cultural insult, especially in Asian contexts

Surajit Dasgupta

06 Oct 2025 15:22 IST

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CJI attacked with shoes — Photograph: (Open Source)

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At about 11.35 AM on Monday, a 71-year-old lawyer, identified as a resident of Mayur Vihar in Delhi, removed his sports shoes and tried to throw them towards a Supreme Court bench presided over by Chief Justice of India Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the chief justice after the attack and the incident evoked outrage and condemnation from all official quarters, social media users' reactions to the news of the CJI being attacked with shoes, however, were mixed.

"Spoke to Chief Justice of India, Justice BR Gavai Ji. The attack on him earlier today in the Supreme Court premises has angered every Indian. There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society. It is utterly condemnable," the prime minister wrote on X.

This is among 50 incidents where the highest officeholders of different countries, including India, were subjected to such insulting treatment.

Shoe-throwing as a form of protest gained global notoriety after the 2008 incident involving US President George W Bush. Still, it has roots in cultural symbolism (e.g., shoes representing impurity in many societies) and has occurred sporadically before and since.

Below is a curated list of notable cases involving high-ranking officials from various countries, focusing on those where an audience member threw a shoe (e.g., during speeches, rallies, or press events) and ideally made contact or came close. The list prioritises diversity across nations and excludes purely Indian examples to highlight international parallels to the recent CJI Gavai incident. Incidents are listed chronologically.

1. December 14, 2008

George W Bush (President)

United States

Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw both shoes at Bush during a joint press conference with Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad, shouting, "This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog!" The shoes missed but became a viral symbol of anti-war protest. Al-Zaidi was imprisoned for nine months.

2. April 7, 2009

P Chidambaram (Home Minister)

India

Journalist Jarnail Singh hurled a shoe at Chidambaram during a press conference in New Delhi over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots investigation. The shoe missed, but it sparked a national debate and garnered support from the Sikh community for Singh.

3. August 7, 2010

Asif Ali Zardari (President)

Pakistan

A man threw two shoes at Zardari during a political rally at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, UK, shouting "killer!" amid anger over corruption and drone strikes. The shoes missed; the attacker was tackled by security.

4. November 4, 2010

John Howard (Former Prime Minister)

Australia

An Australian student threw a boot at Howard during a speech at the University of Cambridge, UK, calling him a "racist" over Iraq War involvement. The shoe missed. (Note: A separate 2010 TV incident saw two shoes thrown at him on ABC's Q&A in Australia, also missing.)

5. 2012 (exact date unspecified)

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (President)

Iran

During a visit to a mosque in Cairo, Egypt, a shoe was thrown at Ahmadinejad as he greeted supporters. It hit a bodyguard instead; the incident reflected regional tensions over Iran's nuclear programme.

6. January 2013 (exact date unspecified)

Omar al Bashir (President)

Sudan

A man threw a shoe at al-Bashir during a public meeting at Friendship Hall in Khartoum. It missed; the attacker was detained. The government denied it was a shoe, claiming it was an attempt to pass a letter, amid protests over authoritarian rule.

7. October 19, 2013

Ma Ying-jeou (President)

Taiwan

A protester threw a shoe at Ma during a speech at a sports event in Taipei, protesting economic policies. It missed; this was one of several such attacks, leading Taiwanese police to install $16,000 worth of shoe-catching nets for his protection.

8. March 11, 2018

Nawaz Sharif (Former Prime Minister)

Pakistan

A student threw a shoe at Sharif during a speech at Jamia Naeemia in Lahore, hitting his shoulder and ear, in protest over corruption allegations. The attacker was arrested, fuelling political controversy.

9. April 22, 2025

William Ruto (President)

Kenya

A shoe hit Ruto on the arm during a rally in Migori County, while he discussed fertiliser price cuts amid economic unrest. The government called it "shameful" and accidental, but it highlighted the frustrations of opposition strongholds; no arrests were reported.

10. October 6, 2025

Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai (Chief Justice)

India

During routine proceedings in Courtroom No. 1 of the Supreme Court at around 11:35 AM, a 71-year-old advocate named Rakesh Kishore, registered with the Supreme Court Bar since 2011, suddenly approached the judicial dais, removed one of his sports shoes, and hurled it towards the bench in an apparent attempt to strike the CJI.

Kishore was motivated by grievances related to perceived insults to Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism). Specifically, his actions were a reaction to controversial remarks made by CJI Gavai during a September 16 Supreme Court hearing. In that hearing, Gavai dismissed a public interest litigation filed by petitioner Rakesh Dalal, which sought the restoration of a 7-foot-tall, beheaded idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh.

The CJI's comments included suggesting that devotees "go and ask the deity himself to do something" or approach Lord Vishnu through prayer, and he remarked, "If you are not averse to Vaishnavism, you can go and worship there." These statements were widely circulated on social media and interpreted by some as dismissive or disrespectful toward Hindu religious sentiments.

That the Indian judiciary betrays an adversarial attitude towards Hinduism is a perception among Hindus that has gained ground considerably over the past few years. At the same time, during the anti-CAA protests, Muslim protesters were heard saying that the highest court of the country had been unfair to them in the Ram Janmabhoomi-versus-Babri Masjid case in its verdict in 2018.

Such cases often stem from grievances like war policies, corruption, or economic hardship, echoing the cultural insult of shoe-throwing in Asian contexts. While not every throw connects (security often intervenes), the act symbolically amplifies dissent. For the rest of the targets of shoe attacks, refer to Wikipedia's "List of shoe-throwing incidents" catalogue.

Supreme Court judiciary