Strauss-Kahn interrupted by shoe-throwing protester

A protester threw a shoe at International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss- Kahn and tried to storm the stage he was speaking from at an event in Istanbul on Thursday.

The white sports shoe missed, and Strauss-Kahn was not hurt.

The protester, who yelled anti-IMF slogans, was tackled by security guards and removed from the briefing at Bilgi University. Strauss-Kahn’s presentation on the global economy was halted when another group of anti-IMF students began chanting. The protesters, including the shoe thrower, were detained by police, local CNBC-e television reported.

(Protester throws a shoe at IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss- Kahn. DHA Video)

Throwing or waving your shoes at someone is considered a grave insult by Muslims. Muntazer al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist, was imprisoned after throwing his shoes at President George W. Bush last December during a press conference in the offices of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki. Both shoes missed and al- Zaidi was released from jail last month.

(In the aftermath of the shoe throwing incident, police escort the protestor from the meeting area. DHA Video)

Strauss-Kahn is in Istanbul ahead of the IMF’s annual meeting here next week. He said earlier Thursday that there is no tension between Turkey and the IMF over a possible loan from the Washington-based fund.

Strauss-Kahn is “fine,” said Caroline Atkinson, IMF director for external relations. He laughed and said “students are students,” she said.