Arrest made after Salman Rushdie stabbed in neck on New York stage

Ben Chapman reports on the stabbing of Sir Salman Rushdie on a lecture stage in New York

Indian-British author Sir Salman Rushdie has suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck and been airlifted to hospital after he was attacked on stage in New York.

Sir Salman, whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked at the Chautauqua Institution on Friday at 11am local time.

A man stormed the stage and began punching or stabbing him 10 to 15 times as he was being introduced, according to an Associated Press reporter.

The writer's condition was not immediately known, but his agent, Andrew Wylie, said he was undergoing surgery.

New York State Police named the suspected attacker as Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, in a press conference on Friday.

Police officials alleged the suspect jumped on stage and stabbed the writer at least once in the neck and once in the abdomen, adding he was still undergoing surgery that evening.

They also said the interviewer at the event, Henry Reese, was also attacked and suffered a minor facial injury, and was also taken to hospital.

Major Eugene Staniszweski said at a press conference held in Jamestown on Friday: “Earlier today at approximately 10.47am, guest speaker Salman Rushdie, aged 75, and Ralph Henry Reese, age 73, had just arrived on stage at the institution.

“Shortly thereafter, the suspect jumped on to the stage and attacked Mr Rushdie, stabbing him at least once in the neck and at least once in the abdomen.

“Several members of the staff at the institution and audience members rushed the suspect and took him to the ground, and shortly thereafter, a trooper who was at the institution took the suspect into custody with the assistance of a Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputy.

“Mr Rushdie was provided medical treatment by a doctor who was in the audience until EMS arrived on scene. Mr Rushdie was airlifted to a local trauma centre and is still currently undergoing surgery.”

Dr Martin Haskell, a physician who was among those who rushed to help, described Rushdie’s wounds as “serious but recoverable.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul told a press conference that a state police officer had saved Sir Salman's life and that of the moderator, who she said was also attacked.

“He is alive, he has been airlifted to safety. But here is an individual who has spent decades speaking truth to power, someone who’s been out there unafraid, despite the threats that have followed him his entire adult life," she added.

A bloodied Sir Salman was quickly surrounded by a small group of people who held up his legs, presumably to send more blood to his chest, before he was airlifted to hospital.

Rabbi Charles Savenor was among the hundreds of people in the audience. Amid gasps, spectators were ushered out of the outdoor amphitheatre.

“This guy ran on to platform and started pounding on Mr Rushdie. At first you’re like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then it became abundantly clear in a few seconds that he was being beaten,” Mr Savenor said. He added the attack lasted about 20 seconds.

Another spectator, Kathleen Jones, said the attacker was dressed in black, with a black mask.

“We thought perhaps it was part of a stunt to show that there's still a lot of controversy around this author. But it became evident in a few seconds that it wasn't," she said.

Sir Salman has been a prominent spokesman for free expression and liberal causes. He is a former president of PEN America, which said it was “reeling from shock and horror” at the attack.

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

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

Boris Johnson tweeted: “Appalled that Sir Salman Rushdie has been stabbed while exercising a right we should never cease to defend."

“Right now my thoughts are with his loved ones. We are all hoping he is okay," the prime minister added.

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Sir Salman's book The Satanic Verses has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous.

The author lived in hiding for many years in London under a government protection programme after Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for his execution over the novel.

Iran has also offered over $3 million (£2.5 million) in reward for anyone who kills him.

Finally, in 1998, the Iranian Government withdrew its support for the death sentence and Sir Salman gradually returned to public life, even appearing as himself in the 2001 hit film Bridget Jones’s Diary.

But anti-Rushdie sentiment lingered. In 2012, a semi-official Iranian religious foundation raised the bounty for Sir Salman from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.

The Index on Censorship, an organisation promoting free expression, said money was raised to boost the reward for Sir Salman’s killing as recently as 2016, underscoring that the fatwa for his death still stands.

His other works include the Moor’s Last Sight and Shalimar The Clown, which was long-listed for the Booker.

He was knighted in 2008 and earlier this year was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

A number of authors took to social media to speak of their shock following the “horrific” incident.

Harry Potter author Ms Rowling, said on Twitter: “Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok.”

Renowned American author of horror and fantasy novels Stephen King said: “I hope Salman Rushdie is okay.”