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After Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s shocking slap incident, here's a list of other bizarre attacks on politicians; take a look
Politics isn’t just about policies — it’s also about dodging shoes, sandwiches, and sometimes, even a slap
Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently faced a troubling incident when she was attacked during a public event — a reminder that political leaders, regardless of their position, often encounter moments when public anger takes a physical turn. Delhi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit on Wednesday (August 20) said a “mishap happened” during a Jan Sunvai at Gupta's residence in Civil Lines. Reports initially claimed that a man “slapped” the CM and “pulled her hair” before security stepped in.
While such acts are condemned, history shows that leaders across the world have been targeted in unusual and sometimes shocking ways when discontent spills over. From flying shoes to sandwiches and even drones, here are some of the most memorable instances where politicians have been unexpectedly attacked.
Arnold Schwarzenegger takes an egg
Even before he became the 38th Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger had to face political hostility — in the form of an egg. In 2003, while campaigning in Long Beach, Schwarzenegger was struck on the shoulder by a raw egg. Unfazed, he simply removed his yellow sports jacket and carried on; later, he reportedly said, “Well, this guy owes me bacon now, I mean there is no two ways about it because I mean you can’t just have eggs without bacon.”
George W. Bush’s flying shoe moment
One of the most infamous incidents took place in Baghdad in 2008 when Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi hurled his shoes at George W. Bush during a farewell press conference. As the shoes narrowly missed the US president, the journalist yelled in Arabic: “This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog.” Bush, quick to lighten the mood, responded with: “That was a size 10 shoe he threw at me, you may want to know.”
Julia Gillard vs. Vegemite sandwiches
Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard found herself dodging lunch in 2013 when a school student hurled a Vegemite sandwich at her during a visit. Gillard brushed it off, saying: “One kid thought he might just be a little bit naughty.” Later in the same month, another student thought it would be hilarious to recreate the moment by throwing a salami sandwich at her. “They must have thought I was hungry,” she said in a press conference later.
Albuquerque’s “dongcopter” scandal
In 2021, during a mayoral campaign stop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, candidate and county sheriff Manuel Gonzales faced an unusual disruption when a drone carrying a sex toy flew toward the stage. The incident escalated further as a man attempted to snatch the object, throwing a punch in Gonzales’ direction and shouting that he was a tyrant. Gonzales’ campaign team later clarified that the Democratic candidate was not injured in the scuffle and emphasised that he “will not be intimidated” by such actions.
Emmanuel Macron’s slap heard around the world
In June 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron was greeting supporters in Tain-l’Hermitage when an angry man delivered a sharp slap to his cheek. The man reportedly shouted “Down with Macron-ism” as he slapped the president, as well as “Montjoie, Saint-Denis” — the battle-cry of the old Kingdom of France, in reference to the banner of King Charlemagne. President Macron later called it an “isolated event”.
From slaps to shoes, history does show that politics isn’t just about policies — it’s mostly about ducking and dodging.
