Sadr City, 15 Dec. (AKI) - Thousands of Iraqis on Monday demanded the release of Muntazer al-Zaydi, the journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush.
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The protests took place in the Shia Baghdad neighbourhood of Sadr City and the demonstrators marched towards the headquarters of the Iraqi press syndicate, in al-Waziriya, said Iraqi news agency Voices of Iraq. The protesters, who were reportedly made up of followers of radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, also burned American flags.
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Meanwhile, a statement calling for the release of al-Zaydi was issued by the Cairo-based satellite news channel al-Boghdadiya, where the journalist has worked since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq."
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Al-Boghdadiya channel calls for the immediate release of its correspondent al-Zaydi in line with the new era of democracy and freedom of expression the US authorities had promised the Iraqis," said a media release from the channel quoted by Voices of Iraq.
On Sunday, al-Zaydi threw his first shoe at Bush as he yelled "This is a gift from the Iraqis. This is the farewell kiss, you dog," As he threw his second shoe, he said: "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."
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As Bush avoided the shoes, al-Zaydi was quickly wrestled to the ground by security guards. Al-Zaydi was being held on Monday by Iraqi police and was reportedly interrogated about whether he was paid to throw his shoes at Bush. He was also being tested for alcohol and drug use.
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In the Arab world, throwing your shoes or exposing the soles of your shoes is one of the worst signs of disrespect. 
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In a separate incident in the Iraqi city of Najaf, protesters threw their shoes at an American patrol as it passed by.
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