When shoes speak louder than words
From Kenya to India, shoes have become unexpected symbols of defiance, hurled not just in anger but as a form of political expression.
In Kenya’s Nyeri County earlier this year, a shoe flew through the air as President William Ruto addressed a rally on the rising cost of living. The shoe, thrown by a frustrated attendee, interrupted the speech and quickly went viral.
In India, shoes were again used as a protest tool. Rakesh Kishore, a 71-year-old lawyer, made headlines after he attempted to throw his shoe at Chief Justice B.R. Gavai in a courtroom.
His outburst, which was a reaction to comments made about a sensitive religious case, cost him his license to practice law but earned him notoriety as one of the few Indians to challenge authority in such an unconventional way.
In 2016, a shoe was thrown at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a public event, which eventually became one of India’s most talked-about acts of political dissent.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
