BAGHDAD , Iraq ( CNN ) -- Muntadher al-Zaidi , the man seen as a hero in some circles for throwing his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush , was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday by an Iraqi court . TV reporter Muntadher al-Zaidi , shown in a file photo , was jailed after throwing his shoes at President Bush . Al-Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush during a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in December in Baghdad . Neither shoe hit the president , and other people in the room quickly knocked al-Zaidi to the ground before security officials arrested him . Family members and journalists were cleared from the courtroom before Thursday 's verdict . After news of the verdict reached family members , al-Zaidi 's brother appeared close to fainting . Other family members were seen crying and shouting curses about al-Maliki and Bush . Watch al-Zaidi 's family protest the sentence » . Al-Zaidi was a journalist who worked for the television network al-Baghdadia . The network also called for his release shortly after the incident . He explained his actions during an hourlong appearance last month in the Central Criminal Court of Iraq . Asked whether anyone pushed or motivated him , al-Zaidi said he was spurred by the `` violations that are committed against the Iraqi people . '' In the Middle East , throwing shoes at someone is traditionally a sign of contempt . Al-Zaidi 's angry gesture touched a defiant nerve throughout the Arab and Muslim world . He is regarded by many people as a hero , and demonstrators took to the streets in the Arab world and called for his release shortly after the incident . Al-Zaidi , who faced a charge of assaulting a visiting head of state , had 17 lawyers to defend him . There were also three judges in the courtroom , along with the prosecutor and family members . In December , his defense team told CNN that he could face 15 years in prison if convicted . But al-Zaidi 's defense team was hoping to change his charge to an insult rather than assault , which would have brought about three months in prison rather than three years . CNN 's Yousif Bassil and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report .
Bush gets last month in prison for throwing shoes at President Bush . Throwing shoes at someone is sign of contempt in Al-Zaidi . Middle East said he was upset over violations committed against Arab .