During a December 14, 2008 press conference at the Prime Minister's Palace in Baghdad, Iraq, al-Zaidi threw both of his shoes at then-United States President George W. Bush. The throwing of shoes is an act of extreme disrespect in both the Arab and Islamic cultures. "This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog," yelled al-Zaidi in Arabic as he threw his first shoe towards the U.S. president. "This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq," he shouted as he threw his second shoe.[20] President Bush ducked twice, avoiding being hit by the shoes. Prime Minster Maliki also attempted to catch one of the shoes to protect the President. Al-Zaidi was then pulled to the floor by another journalist,[23] before being grabbed by Prime Minister Maliki's guards, kicked, and rushed out of the room. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino was hit in the face by a microphone boom knocked over by a presidential bodyguard resulting in a clearly visible black eye.
President Bush said some Iraqi reporters had apologized to him, and he said that he thanked them for their apologies. "Thanks for apologizing on behalf of the Iraqi people. It doesn't bother me." Bush joked, "If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw." When asked about the incident by another reporter, Bush said "It's a way for people to draw attention. I don't know what the guy's cause was. I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it." When later asked to reflect on the incident, Bush said "I didn't have much time to reflect on anything, I was ducking and dodging." "I'm not angry with the system. I believe that a free society is emerging, and a free society is necessary for our own security and peace," he added. "I don't think that you can take one guy throwing his shoe as representative of the people of Iraq," said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino.
Al-Zaidi was initially held by the prime minister's guards, and was later turned over to the Iraqi army's Baghdad command. The command handed him over to the Iraqi judiciary. Hundreds took to the street to demand his release. Al-Zaidi could face charges of insulting a foreign leader and the Iraqi prime minister, who was standing next to Bush. A conviction of these charges would carry a sentence of up to two years in prison or a small fine — although it's unlikely he would face the maximum penalty given his newfound "cult status" in the Arab world, according to a Middle-East observer. An Iraqi lawyer has stated that al-Zaidi is likely to get at least two years in prison if he is prosecuted for insulting a visiting head of state. Al-Zaidi went before a judge on December 17, 2008. Al-Zaidi declined to be represented by Khalil al-Duleimi, who defended the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein before his execution, and also said that he wanted to be represented by an Iraqi lawyer. "I will introduce myself as his lawyer and demand the case be closed and Muntadher be released because he did not commit a crime," said Dheyaa al-Saadi, al-Zaidi's lawyer and head of the Iraqi Bar Association. "He only freely expressed himself to the occupier, and he has such a right according to international law."[30] On December 17, 2008, al-Zaidi appeared privately before a judge from within the Green Zone. This renewed fears for his well-being and it was unclear whether he had been allowed any legal representation
