“We simply cannot immediately think of any comparable incident of a community violent assault on a author during a literary occasion right here in the US,” claimed Suzanne Nossel, the CEO of the nonprofit literary organisation PEN The usa, who famous that the motivations for the assault and Rushdie’s present-day problem ended up unknown as of Friday late morning.
Rushdie is a previous president of PEN America, which advocates for writers’ liberty of expression around the world. She reported in a statement that the organisation’s members had been “reeling from shock and horror”. Nossel explained Rushdie experienced emailed her hrs ahead of the assault to check with about serving to Ukrainian writers in require of secure refuge.
“Salman Rushdie has been focused for his words for many years, but has under no circumstances flinched nor faltered,” she reported. “He has devoted tireless electricity to aiding other people who are susceptible and menaced.”
“I hope Salman Rushdie is ok,” tweeted Stephen King.
“I am definitely shocked. I under no circumstances thought it would occur. He has been dwelling in the West, and he has been safeguarded due to the fact 1989. If he is attacked, any individual who is significant of Islam can be attacked. I am worried” tweeted Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen.
“Horrified to study that Salman Rushdie has been attacked at a talking event in upstate New York. Want him a speedy restoration,” explained writer Amitav Ghosh.
Lyricist Javed Akhtar said, “I condemn the barbaric attack on Salman Rushdie by some fanatic. I hope that NY police and the courtroom will get the strongest action probable versus the attacker.”
The Wylie Agency, which signifies Rushdie, did not reply to a ask for for remark. Iran’s mission to the UN in New York did not straight away answer to a request for comment.
US Senator Chuck Schumer of New York identified as it “an assault on freedom of speech and thought”.
The author Neil Gaiman wrote on Twitter that he was “shocked and distressed” about the assault. “He’s a great person and a good a person and I hope he’s all right,” he claimed.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York claimed she had directed point out police to aid with the investigation into Rushdie’s assault. A man was promptly taken into custody, in accordance to a assertion from the state law enforcement. Images on social media of the alleged assailant becoming led away by law enforcement showed a young man with near cropped hair.
A spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country’s greatest Muslim civil rights team, reported he was involved people today could hurry to blame Muslims or Islam for the stabbing right before the attacker’s id or motive had been recognised. “American Muslims, like all Us citizens, condemn any violence focusing on any person in our society,” mentioned Ibrahim Hooper.
