Rushdie is now thought to be off a ventilator and able to talk
JK Rowling has complained to police after she was told she was “next” after expressing her horror over the stabbing of acclaimed author Salman Rushdie on Friday.
The 75-year-old writer was being introduced at the Chautauqua Institution in New York when a man jumped on stage and stabbed him in the face, neck and abdomen at least 10 times.
Rushdie’s alleged attacker — New Jersey-based, 24-year-old Hadi Matar — has been charged with attempted murder, one count of second-degree attempted murder and one count of second-degree assault. He appeared in court on Saturday and pleaded not guilty, and was remanded in custody.
On Sunday, it was reported that Rushdie was now off a ventilator and able to talk. Earlier reports suggested he had suffered severed nerves in one arm, damage to his liver, and would likely lose an eye.
Rowling tweeted on Friday that she was “feeling very sick right now” when news of Rushdie’s stabbing broke.
The Harry Potter author received thousands of likes from supportive fans, but one Twitter user responded with an apparent threat to the 57-year-old, writing: “Don’t worry you are next.”
Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 12, 2022
.@TwitterSupport any chance of some support? pic.twitter.com/AoeCzmTKaU
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 13, 2022
Rowling took screenshots of the exchange and shared them in a post along with the users’ Twitter profile picture. She also tagged the official Twitter Support account and asked for assistance: “Any chance of some support?”
.@TwitterSupport These are your guidelines, right?
"Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence…
"Terrorism/violent extremism: You may not threaten or promote terrorism…" pic.twitter.com/BzM6WopzHa
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 13, 2022
To all sending supportive messages: thank you
Police are involved (were already involved on other threats).— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 13, 2022
Rowling later thanked fans for “sending supportive messages” to her and explained that the police were involved as they were already “involved on other threats”.
Rushdie has long been the subject of threats after his 1988 book, The Satanic Versus, was deemed to be blasphemous by some Muslims.
The book was banned in some countries after its release and even forced the author to go into hiding for nearly 10 years, during which time he was under police protection. A $3m bounty was also put on his head.
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