Salman Rushdie - latest: Satanic Verses author ‘alive’ after being stabbed in neck on stage at New York event

Author Salman Rushdie attacked on stage in New York

Salman Rushdie has been stabbed in the neck after an assailant stormed the stage at an event in western New York on Friday morning

The Booker Prize-winning author, 75, was stabbed “several times” at 11am at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York state, the New York State Police said in a statement.

He was airlifted to an area hospital by helicopter, and his condition is unknown, state police said.

A suspect was immediately taken into custody by a state trooper assigned to the event.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul told reporters Mr Rushdie was “alive” and “getting the care he needs” at a press conference at around 12.30pm.

Henry Reese, the co-founder of the City of Asylum organisation who was sitting next to Mr Rushdie, suffered a minor head injury, police said.

Salman Rushdie was the subject off death threats over his 1988 novel The Satanic Verses

(2017 Invision)

Mr Rushdie was the target of death threats over the publication of his 1988 book The Satanic Verses.

A year later, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Mr Rushdie’s death.

He went into hiding for several years after the fatwa was issued.

Mr Rushdie has two sons and has been married four times, most recently to model and television host Padma Lakshmi. The couple wed in 2004 before divorcing three years later.

He was knighted in 2007 for “services to literature”, and is a long-term resident of New York City.

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New images show aftermath of Rushdie attack

Salman Rushdie is “alive” after being stabbed in the neck onstage on Friday, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

New images show Mr Rushdie being taken to a helicopter before he was airlifted to hospital after Friday’s attack.

Salman Rushdie is transported onto a helicopter after being stabbed on Friday morning

(AFP via Getty Images)

In a separate image, blood spatter can be seen on a wall next to where Mr Rushdie was attacked at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York state.

Blood stains mark a screen on the stage where author Salman Rushdie was during a knife attack during a lecture in New York

(AP)

Mr Rushdie is “getting the help he needs”, according to Ms Hochul.

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Rushdie alive ‘and getting the help he needs’, NY Governor says

New York Governor Kathy Hochul says Salman Rushdie is alive and “getting the care he needs”.

“It is heartbreaking to learn that within the last hour… Salman Rushdie was attacked on a stage in western New York just before he was about to give a speech,” Ms Hochul said at a press conference.

“He is alive, he has been transported, airlifted, to safety.”

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Why did Iran issue a fatwa against Salman Rushdie in 1989?

On 14 February, 1989, Irananian religious leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling on “all brave Muslims” to kill Salman Rushdie and those who helped translate and sell the book to the masses. 

Mr Rushdie went into hiding for nearly a decade, living under the protection of Scotland Yard and changing locations frequently.

In addition to numerous death threats against the author himself, those who helped create and market the work were also targeted.

In 1991, the novel’s Japanese translator was stabbed to death, and two years later the book’s Norwegian publisher was injured in a shooting.

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‘He has a pulse’

An eye witness to the attack on author Salman Rushdie said he suffered “multiple” stab wounds.

Rita Landman told the New York Times that there was a pool of blood around Mr Rushdie as he was attended to on-stage at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York state.

“People were saying, ‘He has a pulse, he has a pulse he has a pulse,’” Ms Landman told the Times.

Author Salman Rushdie is tended to after he was attacked during a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution

(AP)

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Salman Rushdie announced release of 15th novel days before attack

Just three days before he was stabbed on stage at a book event, Salman Rushdie announced the release of his 15th novel Victory City.

The book’s publication date was slated for February next year.

Mr Rushdie’s most famous works include Midnight’s Children, Satanic Verses and Fury.

He has also written several acclaimed non-fiction books including The Jaguar Smile, and his 2012 memoir Joseph Anton.

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Footage shows Salman Rushdie attack

Footage filmed by an audience member shows the aftermath of the attack on Salman Rushdie.

Security members rush the stage and restrain the suspected attacker as Mr Rushdie lies on the floor in the short clip.

The footage was filmed by Rabbi Charlie Savenor and posted to his Twitter account.

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Writers association ‘reeling from shock and horror’ at Rushdie attack

PEN America CEO Suzanne Noseel says the writer’s association is “reeling from shock and horror” over the attack on Salman Rushdie.

“We can think of no comparable incident of a public violent attack on a literary writer on American soil,” Ms Noseel said in a statement.

She said Mr Rushdie, a former president PEN America, had emailed her just hours before the incident to ask for help with placements for Ukrainian writers in need of safe refuge.

“Salman Rushdie has been targeted for his words for decades but has never flinched nor faltered,” she said.

“He has devoted tireless energy to assisting others who are vulnerable and menaced.  While we do not know the origins or motives of this attack, all those around the world who have met words with violence or called for the same are culpable for legitimising this an assault on a writer while he was engaged in his essential work of connecting to readers.”

Salman Rushdie ‘devoted tireless energy to assisting others who are vulnerable and menaced’

(AP)

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Images on social media show a suspect being taken into custody

A man suspected of attacking Salman Rushdie has been taken into custody, according to journalist Ryan Kelly.

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Salman Rushdie attacked on stage

Salman Rushdie was attacked live on stage at an event in western New York state on Friday.

Richard Hall has the details.

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