Is Shoefiti the work of War Protestors?
An anti-war activist in Melbourne, Australia is promoting throwing shoes over power lines to protest Australia’s involvement in the Iraq war. One contributor to indymedia.org’s thread on the topic evangelizes:
To the ignorant the site of shoes up there is confusing, I admit, but
to me it also does provoke intrigue. On another level, as one who
throws, I can now tell you that an important line is crossed by the
throwee. A line between passive and active opposition. A line between
apathy and action. Anything is possible once you cross that line. You
may find yourself more determined to write that article, to go to that
protest rally, or to buy that micro-powered FM transmitter and start a
pirate radio station to broadcast interviews with activists and
anarchists and make your own subversive shows for your local
community…
Sorry, got a bit carried away, ha ha. But you
see what I mean? It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, it can all
start with a shoe. So I say, for those about to throw, we salute you!
to me it also does provoke intrigue. On another level, as one who
throws, I can now tell you that an important line is crossed by the
throwee. A line between passive and active opposition. A line between
apathy and action. Anything is possible once you cross that line. You
may find yourself more determined to write that article, to go to that
protest rally, or to buy that micro-powered FM transmitter and start a
pirate radio station to broadcast interviews with activists and
anarchists and make your own subversive shows for your local
community…
Sorry, got a bit carried away, ha ha. But you
see what I mean? It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, it can all
start with a shoe. So I say, for those about to throw, we salute you!
Another writer expresses his frustration with Howard and the over-reaching anti-terrorism laws that have been put in place since 9/11:
A little known fact re the new HOwarD anti-terror laws is that asio,
the CSIRO and the CWA will all have the legal power to pre-emptively
remove shoes from the feet of any citizen suspected of shoe-related
protest and incarcerate those shoes for up to three weeks without trial
or odour eaters.
the CSIRO and the CWA will all have the legal power to pre-emptively
remove shoes from the feet of any citizen suspected of shoe-related
protest and incarcerate those shoes for up to three weeks without trial
or odour eaters.
I bet sneakers hanging from power lines would be removed in a timely manner near Donald Rumsfeld’s home.
Are shoes thrown on power lines by war protestors? If so, how does one differentiate war protest shoefiti from other motivations? By the type of shoe? Location? Should we look for war protest shoefiti near the homes of elected officials? Near government buildings? By military bases?
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