UPDATE: Salman Rushdie stabbed on stage in New York, US, suspect in custody

Salman Rushdie stabbed on stage in New York, US

Salman Rushdie stabbed on stage in New York, US. Salman Rushdie/Twitter

Salman Rushdie is currently on a ventilator and has suffered significant injuries.

Update: Saturday, August 13, 08:50. AM

Andrew Wylie, Salman Rushdie’s spokesperson, has said in a statement that the author was put on a ventilator and had suffered significant injuries.

“The news is not good. Salman will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed, and his liver was stabbed and damaged,” Andrew confirmed.

The man accused of stabbing Salman Rushdie has been identified and is known to have sympathies with the Iranian government.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, showed his support for Salman in a post that read: For 33 years: “Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism.”

“He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism.”

“His fight is our fight; it is universal. Now more than ever, we stand by his side.”

Friday, August 12, 16:41.PM

75-year-old author, Salman Rushdie, has been injured after being punched and stabbed on stage before the Chautauqua (CHQ) speech he was due to give near Buffalo, New York, US.

Salman Rushdie was stabbed on Friday, August 12, as witnesses claimed that he managed to walk off stage with assistance and the attacker was restrained.

Chautauqua Institution is a not-for-profit organisation that Salman was attending for a discussion of the United States as an asylum for writers and other artists in exile and as a home for freedom of creative expression.

Salman Rushdie has previously received death threats for his writing, with his book The Satanic Verses sparking protests in 1988

In shock, people were quick to offer Salman Rushdie their support.

Author and researcher, Wajahat Ali, posted: “Unhinged men wanting to police the world through violence. Salman Rushdie was stabbed today. FBI attacked yesterday.”

“I fear these examples of violence will only keep escalating with polarization, disinformation and extremism going mainstream.”

One commented: “Salman Rushdie was just stabbed – there’s been a fatwa on him from the Ayatollah of Iran since 1989.”

“Comes right after the arrest of someone Iran paid $300k to kill John Bolton and the threats to Masih Alinejad in Brooklyn. I’m going to say it’s not a coincidence.”

Author Stephen King simply added: “I hope Salman Rushdie is okay.”

According to Major Eugene J Staniszewski, of the New York State Police, said: “On August 12 2022 at about 11 am a male suspect ran up onto the stage and attacked Rushdie and an interviewer.

“Rushdie suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital.

“His condition is not yet known. The interviewer suffered a minor head injury. A State Trooper assigned to the event immediately took the suspect into custody.”

Video footage shows Mr Rushdie being taken to hospital via rescue helicopter.


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Anna Ellis

Originally from Derbyshire, Anna has lived in the middle of nowhere on the Costa Blanca for 19 years. She is passionate about her animal family including four dogs and four horses, musicals and cooking.

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