Award Banner
Award Banner

Safety concerns loom as writers show public support for Rushdie

Safety concerns loom as writers show public support for Rushdie
Supporters of author Salman Rushdie attend a reading and rally to show solidarity for free expression at the New York Public Library in New York City, US, on Aug 19, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters

NEW YORK – Under the watch of counterterrorism officers and police in tactical gear, hundreds of people gathered in front of the New York Public Library on Friday to show support for Salman Rushdie, the author stabbed multiple times at a literary event a week ago.

Irish novelist Colum McCann, British writer Hari Kunzru and others read passages from Rushdie's works from the top of the flagship library branch's steps off Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.

Below, at a distance enforced by organisers, a crowd of about 400 people gathered to listen, breaking out into a chant of "Stand with Salman" when the event concluded.

Some held signs depicting Rushdie and quoting him saying, "If we are not confident of our freedom, then we are not free."

Police say Rushdie was attacked by a 24-year-old New Jersey man who rushed a stage and stabbed the writer in the neck and torso at a literary festival in western New York last week. Rushdie, who was rushed to a hospital, survived. 

There were no bag checks or metal detectors to screen for weapons ahead of the appearance by Rushdie, who had been living under a death sentence for 33 years.

A supporter holds up a copy of Shame by author Salman Rushdie while attending a reading and rally to show solidarity for free expression at the New York Public Library in New York City, US, on Aug 19, 2022. 
PHOTO: Reuters

The suspect has pleaded not guilty to second-degree attempted murder and assault charges.

"I hope this is a wake-up call that people like Salman, who are fearless, who write things as they see them, who are not afraid to speak the truth as they view it, really are in danger," said Pen America Chief Executive Suzanne Nossel.

The nonprofit free-expression and human rights group helped organise the event.

Attendees spoke of their worries for themselves and other writers following the attack.

A supporter of author Salman Rushdie reads an excerpt from his works during a reading and rally to show solidarity for free expression at the New York Public Library in New York City, US, on Aug 19, 2022. 
PHOTO: Reuters

"We're all in danger. And some of us are more overtly in danger than the rest," Iranian-American author Roya Hakakian said in an interview.

While the death sentence, or fatwa, ordered on Rushdie by Iran was among the most high-profile threats, many authors say harassment and calls for violence have become part of the experience of being a writer.

Love Is an Ex-Country author Randa Jarrar said in an email interview this week that she had to learn how to "better aim a gun" and prepare physically in case of attack after a tweet about former first lady Barbara Bush prompted threats.

When Bush died in 2018, Jarrar described her as an "amazing racist" for a comment about the majority-Black communities displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

The Muslim author said she feared for her life when critics posted her home address and phone number online. She and her child began receiving death threats.

Supporters of author Salman Rushdie attend a reading and rally to show solidarity for free expression at the New York Public Library in New York City, US, on Aug 19, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters

Every threat she received mentioned that she is Muslim and warned her to go back to where she came from, Jarrar said. She moved, and hired a company to scrub her private data from the internet.

Queer Chicana writer Myriam Gurba faced threats after she criticised author Jeanine Cummins in 2020 of cultural appropriation in writing the novel American Dirt, which focused on a Mexican woman who escaped a drug cartel to build a new life in the US as an undocumented immigrant.

Read Also
world
Salman Rushdie attack suspect pleads not guilty to attempted murder, assault

Gurba said many people supported her, but she also received threats of violence on her phone and the internet.

"The first death threat that I received stated that the police should execute me for my stupidity," she said.

This week, police in Scotland said they were investigating a threat against Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling following her tweet voicing concern for Rushdie. 

At least one upcoming literary festival is tightening security. Organisers of September's National Book Festival, hosted by the Library of Congress in Washington, had already planned to require bag searches.

Now, the festival is working with law enforcement to add extra measures, a spokesperson said.

At the New York Public Library, some writers said they did not fear gathering in public.

"The only time I got anxious was when they told us how much security there was going to be, thinking maybe there have been some threats, but I doubt it," author Paul Auster said.

Source: Reuters

homepage

trending

trending
    Woman flamed by netizens for secretly recording voting process on Polling Day
    'Dog will return soon': GE2025 independent candidate Jeremy Tan wants to contest again
    We may not have won Punggol, but we won something deeper: WP's Harpreet Singh on GE2025
    Ong Ye Kung leads PAP team to victory while elder brother Howard Ong loses in Australia's election on the same day
    10 killed after 4 tourist boats capsize in China, state media reports
    'Teochew dishes with a twist': Ya Hui teams up with restaurant to cook for dog charity
    'Lest you forget, the SDP never say die': Chee Soon Juan says party already preparing for GE2030
    5 affordable condos with unblocked views priced under $1m
    'Extremely touched': Passenger praises PHV driver for providing free treats and well-wishes during ride
    Car crashes into wall at Anderson Sec on Polling Day, 76-year-old unconscious driver hospitalised
    Gigi Hadid makes relationship with Bradley Cooper Instagram official
    GE2025: PSP’s poor showing shows party needs to rethink branding, policy proposals, say analysts

Singapore

Singapore
    • GE2025: Singaporeans living abroad share experience of voting overseas
    • PAP's Gan Siow Huang wins Marymount SMC with 70.70% of votes over PSP's Jeffrey Khoo
    • PAP wins Punggol GRC with 55.17% of votes over WP
    • WP wins Aljunied GRC with 59.68% of votes over PAP
    • 'I'm here to serve': DPM Gan celebrates victory with PAP team in Punggol
    • 'We've done very commendably': WP's Pritam 'proud' despite landslide PAP's GE2025 win
    • No victory parade: Chan Chun Sing emphasises commitment to residents after PAP’s strongest win in Tanjong Pagar GRC
    • 'Clear signal of trust and confidence,' says Lawrence Wong following PAP's victory in his first election as PM
    • PAP's Poh Li San wins Sembawang West SMC with 53.19% of votes over SDP's Chee Soon Juan
    • GE2025: PAP returns to power with 65.57% of popular vote; WP retains 10 seats

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • (G)I-dle rebrands in light of 7th anniversary, sparking mixed emotions from fans
    • Parents thank Park Seo-joon for donation that saved child: 'It was the first time in a long while our family laughed'
    • Red Velvet's Irene and Seulgi, Exo's Doh Kyung-soo, Xdinary Heroes: Singapore concert calendar for 2025
    • 'My acting wasn't going anywhere': Zhang Zetong was close to leaving showbiz before winning Star Award
    • Byeon Woo-seok, Park Eun-bin, Kiss of Life: A peek at their childhood photos on South Korea's Children's Day
    • Billie Lourd's children watch late grandmother Carrie Fisher on Star Wars Day, fans moved to tears
    • Trump plans to hit movies made outside US with 100% tariffs
    • Beyonce sent cease-and-desist letter to drop certain visuals from Cowboy Carter tour
    • US singer-songwriter Jill Sobule dies following a house fire
    • Comedian Russell Brand appears in UK court over rape and sex assault charges

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • Local brands like Ann Chin Popiah and Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice to open at 5-star hotel in Macau
    • 'It hurts, losing everything': Mentai-Ya boss closes all remaining stalls after $550k losses in 2 years
    • Kenny Rogers Roasters now has an all-you-can-eat buffet for $28.90++, here's a sneak peek at the menu
    • This new American malt shop along Joo Chiat Road looks like it came straight out of a Wes Anderson film
    • Things to do in Porto, Portugal: A curated 5-day itinerary
    • Buying a walk-up apartment in Singapore? Don't overlook the shops below - here's why
    • Fun for all in Saudi: A guide to exploring the country's best family attractions
    • Tiny island, massive flex: 60 times Singapore topped the charts
    • 5 false ceiling designs that never go out of style
    • Here's where to treat mum this Mother's Day

Digicult

Digicult
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • Google Pixel 9a: The best AI-centric phone under $800 in 2025?
    • Western intelligence agencies warn spyware threat targeting Taiwan, Tibetan rights advocates
    • Taiwan says China using generative AI to ramp up disinformation and 'divide' the island
    • Russian court fines Telegram app for refusal to remove anti-government content, TASS reports
    • One Beijing man's quest to keep cooking — and connecting with Americans — on camera
    • Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in June with US$449.99 price tag
    • Games in April: RPGs, racing and Ronaldo in a fighting game
    • Is it time to get a MacBook at a good price? The M4 MacBook Air says yes

Money

Money
    • Giant deal: Malaysian company to acquire Cold Storage and Giant supermarket chains in Singapore
    • Do high floors equal to high returns? Let's unpack the numbers
    • What DIY property buyers in Singapore might miss out on (and why it matters)
    • How tariffs could shape interest rates in 2025: What Trump's 'Liberation Day' means for Singapore home loans
    • GM delays investor call, UPS axes 20k jobs as Trump's tariffs create corporate chaos
    • India prepared to 'future-proof' trade deal as sweetener in US talks, sources say
    • UPS cuts 20,000 jobs, GM delays investor call as Trump's tariffs create corporate chaos
    • Profit warnings and uncertainty as Trump tariffs send a chill through businesses
    • Risk of global economic recession surges on US tariff shockwaves
    • World military spending hits $3.6 trillion in record 2024 surge

Latest

Latest
  • Copper cable thefts in Spain leave passengers trapped in trains overnight
  • Daily roundup: Woman flamed by netizens for secretly recording voting process on Polling Day — and other top stories today
  • Yemen's Houthis announce campaign targeting Israeli airports
  • With militaries upgraded, risks multiply in any potential India-Pakistan conflict
  • The influencer election that wasn't: Amid Trump trauma, Australian voters logged off
  • Papal contender Parolin is a soft-spoken, longtime Vatican diplomat
  • Israeli cabinet approves expansion of Gaza offensive, broadcaster Kan reports
  • Adani reps meet Trump officials in push to end US bribery cases, Bloomberg News reports
  • Trump orders reopening of Alcatraz prison

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • Tan Kiat How weighs in on viral video of Gan Kim Yong being ignored by passers-by in Punggol
  • PSP's Tan Cheng Bock turns 85; SDP's Paul Tambyah joins celebration at Teban Gardens
  • PM Wong urges voters to 'choose leaders of good character' in PAP's first party political broadcast
  • It is 'important for Singapore's democracy' that WP wins more seats, says Pritam in election broadcast
  • GE2025: PSP, RDU, SDP, PPP, PAR, NSP promise to push for policy changes if elected to Parliament in first political broadcast
  • 'Everyone has the right to express their feelings': WP candidates address four-cornered fight in Tampines GRC
  • PAP's Desmond Lee responds to opposition's calls for GST exemption, says 'we want to make it progressive'
  • 'A fresher Pritam Singh': Teo Chee Hean to Aljunied resident who mistook PAP's Faisal Abdul Aziz for WP chief
  • SDP leaders criticise GST hike and govt vouchers: 'Give you cup of water to put out fire'
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.