Hey, I know—the man is an instant hero to millions of people in Iraq and all across the Arab world. Tens of thousands of people are demonstrating in the streets right now, praising his actions, calling for his release. So what do you say we beat the fuck out of him?

The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George Bush has been beaten in custody, his brother said today.

Muntadhar al-Zaidi suffered a broken hand, broken ribs, internal bleeding and an eye injury, his older brother, Dargham, told the BBC. He has since been handed over to the Iraqi judiciary, a step that normally heralds a criminal case.