The act is no different than what Yorke did on Ruiz... no matter how you parse it. One objective can say that Yorke only made a show of going for the ball (wasn't the hit after the whistle as well?). Most on here accepted that the hit was deliberate on Ruiz ( therein lies your "malice"). Van Persie appeared to hit the keeper with the same deliberation as did Yorke.
I fully understand that you protect keepers and treat them differently than you would an outfield player but unless I'm mistaken there are no written special rules governing contact with goalkeepers... certainly none that would be applicable here. The goalkeeper was wasting time by stalling, pretending to pick up the ball then dropping it, then picking it up as Van Persie arrived. Van Persie then hit him ah Yorke.... you like it so much in fact yuh put it in yuh signature. Does that deserve a red card? Or do we just celebrate it when it suits us? Fact is that it was a deliberate foul... he hit the keeper with a forearm 'shiver'... hardly malicious since there are other, more direct ways to hurt a player (true malice) if he really intended.
I not here to defend him, but since the thread asks about hypocrisy I thought we hover on that issue for a second. As I said, Van Persie was flirting with danger by even putting himself in that situation, he gambled and he lost. Objectively speaking however, that is no more than a yellow card foul.
firstly, even if there is no special rule governing protection of keepers (i ent going and look that up), anyone who play the game would tell you that you in no uncertain terms that you cannot tackle a keeper the same way you tackle an outfield player. Big, big difference!
Once a keeper has the ball in his possession he is off limits.. Once a keeper is coming for a ball and is reaching first, you are supposed to give way or you get punished accordingly. A forward is not even allowed to challenge a cross ball evenly with a goalkeeper going up for it, it is a foul. There are no two ways about this, that is the way it is.
The reason is because the goalkeeper is the most exposed and vulnerable position on a football field. When a keeper is going for a ball, they have to put their bodies at the most risk, which is why its the referee's duty to protect them. Is only in England where the referees offer the least protection to a goalkeeper on the planet, but even so the same basic rule applies. Whappen yuh never play FIFA and kick dong de keeper and get ah red, and kick dong ah player and get a yellow? lol
On the second hand, about the Yorke tackle I think it was different but thats my personal opinion. Yorke was coming for the ball, Ruiz was playing de ass and I agree Yorke extend he follow thru to let him know what time it is. Damn straight ah love dat.. But still, at least Yorke was making an attempt for the ball and Ruiz was in the way.. Van Persie on the other hand just deliberately shove way de keeper who had the ball in his arms in a standing position.. That is madness..
Even if you disagree that there was a difference between the two acts, the fact that it is a goalkeeper is what makes it a difference. Bottom line, if Van Persie had done that to an outfield player time wasting, then I would agree a red was harsh.