Security Concerns Emerge As Writers Show Public Support For Rushdie

Irish novelist Colum McCann, British author Hari Kunzru and others read excerpts from Rushdie’s works from atop the steps of the library’s flagship off Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. Below, at an organizer-enforced distance, a crowd of about 400 gathered to listen, breaking into a “Stand with Salman” chant when the event ended. Some held signs depicting Rushdie and said: “If we are not sure of our freedom, then we are not free.” Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Police say Rushdie was attacked by a 24-year-old New Jersey man who stormed a stage and stabbed the author in the neck and torso at a literary festival in western New York last week. Rushdie, who was rushed to hospital, survived. read more There were no bag checks or metal detectors to check for weapons before Rushdie, who had been on death row for 33 years, showed up. read more The suspect has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and second-degree assault. “I hope this is a wake-up call that people like Salman, who are fearless, who write things as they see it, who are not afraid to tell the truth as they see it, are really in danger,” said the head of PEN America. Executive Suzanne Nossel. The nonprofit free speech and human rights group helped organize the event. Attendees spoke about their concerns for themselves and other writers after the attack. “We are all at risk. And some of us are more overtly at risk than others,” Iranian-American author Roya Hakakian said in an interview. While the death penalty, or fatwa, ordered against Rushdie by Iran was one of the most high-profile threats, many writers say harassment and calls for violence have become part of the experience of being a writer. “Love Is an Ex-Country” author Rada Jarrar said in an email interview this week that she had to learn how to “aim a gun better” and prepare physically in the event of an attack after tweeting about the former first lady Barbara Bush who made threats. Supporters of author Salman Rushdie attend a reading and rally to show solidarity for free speech at the New York Public Library in New York, U.S., August 19, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid read more When Bush died in 2018, Jarrar described her as an “amazing racist” for a comment about 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. Each threat she received mentioned that she is Muslim and warned her to go back where she came from, Jarrar said. She moved and hired a company to clean her personal data from the Internet. Queer Chicana author Myriam Gurba faced threats after criticizing author Jeanine Cummins in 2020 for 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 United States as undocumented. migrant. Gurba said many people supported her, but she also received threats of violence on her phone and online. “The first death threat I received said the police should execute me for my stupidity,” he said. This week, police in Scotland said they were investigating a threat against “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling after she tweeted her concern about Rushdie. read more At least one upcoming literary festival is beefing up security. Organizers of September’s National Book Festival, hosted by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., had already planned to require bag searches. Now, the festival is working with law enforcement to add additional measures, a spokesperson said. At the New York Public Library, some authors said they are not afraid to gather in public. “The only time I was nervous was when we were told how much security there would be, thinking maybe there were some threats, but I doubt it,” said author Paul Auster. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reporting by Randi Love and Sofia Ahmed in New York and Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles. Lisa Richwine writes. Edited by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

title: “Security Concerns Emerge As Writers Show Public Support For Rushdie Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-05” author: “Gregory Harr”

Irish novelist Colum McCann, British author Hari Kunzru and others read excerpts from Rushdie’s works from atop the steps of the library’s flagship off Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. Below, at an organizer-enforced distance, a crowd of about 400 gathered to listen, breaking into a “Stand with Salman” chant when the event ended. Some held signs depicting Rushdie and said: “If we are not sure of our freedom, then we are not free.” Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Police say Rushdie was attacked by a 24-year-old New Jersey man who stormed a stage and stabbed the author in the neck and torso at a literary festival in western New York last week. Rushdie, who was rushed to hospital, survived. read more There were no bag checks or metal detectors to check for weapons before Rushdie, who had been on death row for 33 years, showed up. read more The suspect has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and second-degree assault. “I hope this is a wake-up call that people like Salman, who are fearless, who write things as they see it, who are not afraid to tell the truth as they see it, are really in danger,” said the head of PEN America. Executive Suzanne Nossel. The nonprofit free speech and human rights group helped organize the event. Attendees spoke about their concerns for themselves and other writers after the attack. “We are all at risk. And some of us are more overtly at risk than others,” Iranian-American author Roya Hakakian said in an interview. While the death penalty, or fatwa, ordered against Rushdie by Iran was one of the most high-profile threats, many writers say harassment and calls for violence have become part of the experience of being a writer. “Love Is an Ex-Country” author Rada Jarrar said in an email interview this week that she had to learn how to “aim a gun better” and prepare physically in the event of an attack after tweeting about the former first lady Barbara Bush who made threats. Supporters of author Salman Rushdie attend a reading and rally to show solidarity for free speech at the New York Public Library in New York, U.S., August 19, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid read more When Bush died in 2018, Jarrar described her as an “amazing racist” for a comment about 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. Each threat she received mentioned that she is Muslim and warned her to go back where she came from, Jarrar said. She moved and hired a company to clean her personal data from the Internet. Queer Chicana author Myriam Gurba faced threats after criticizing author Jeanine Cummins in 2020 for 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 United States as undocumented. migrant. Gurba said many people supported her, but she also received threats of violence on her phone and online. “The first death threat I received said the police should execute me for my stupidity,” he said. This week, police in Scotland said they were investigating a threat against “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling after she tweeted her concern about Rushdie. read more At least one upcoming literary festival is beefing up security. Organizers of September’s National Book Festival, hosted by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., had already planned to require bag searches. Now, the festival is working with law enforcement to add additional measures, a spokesperson said. At the New York Public Library, some authors said they are not afraid to gather in public. “The only time I was nervous was when we were told how much security there would be, thinking maybe there were some threats, but I doubt it,” said author Paul Auster. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reporting by Randi Love and Sofia Ahmed in New York and Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles. Lisa Richwine writes. Edited by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

title: “Security Concerns Emerge As Writers Show Public Support For Rushdie Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-20” author: “Adrian Hobson”

Irish novelist Colum McCann, British author Hari Kunzru and others read excerpts from Rushdie’s works from atop the steps of the library’s flagship off Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. Below, at an organizer-enforced distance, a crowd of about 400 gathered to listen, breaking into a “Stand with Salman” chant when the event ended. Some held signs depicting Rushdie and said: “If we are not sure of our freedom, then we are not free.” Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Police say Rushdie was attacked by a 24-year-old New Jersey man who stormed a stage and stabbed the author in the neck and torso at a literary festival in western New York last week. Rushdie, who was rushed to hospital, survived. read more There were no bag checks or metal detectors to check for weapons before Rushdie, who had been on death row for 33 years, showed up. read more The suspect has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and second-degree assault. “I hope this is a wake-up call that people like Salman, who are fearless, who write things as they see it, who are not afraid to tell the truth as they see it, are really in danger,” said the head of PEN America. Executive Suzanne Nossel. The nonprofit free speech and human rights group helped organize the event. Attendees spoke about their concerns for themselves and other writers after the attack. “We are all at risk. And some of us are more overtly at risk than others,” Iranian-American author Roya Hakakian said in an interview. While the death penalty, or fatwa, ordered against Rushdie by Iran was one of the most high-profile threats, many writers say harassment and calls for violence have become part of the experience of being a writer. “Love Is an Ex-Country” author Rada Jarrar said in an email interview this week that she had to learn how to “aim a gun better” and prepare physically in the event of an attack after tweeting about the former first lady Barbara Bush who made threats. Supporters of author Salman Rushdie attend a reading and rally to show solidarity for free speech at the New York Public Library in New York, U.S., August 19, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid read more When Bush died in 2018, Jarrar described her as an “amazing racist” for a comment about 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. Each threat she received mentioned that she is Muslim and warned her to go back where she came from, Jarrar said. She moved and hired a company to clean her personal data from the Internet. Queer Chicana author Myriam Gurba faced threats after criticizing author Jeanine Cummins in 2020 for 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 United States as undocumented. migrant. Gurba said many people supported her, but she also received threats of violence on her phone and online. “The first death threat I received said the police should execute me for my stupidity,” he said. This week, police in Scotland said they were investigating a threat against “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling after she tweeted her concern about Rushdie. read more At least one upcoming literary festival is beefing up security. Organizers of September’s National Book Festival, hosted by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., had already planned to require bag searches. Now, the festival is working with law enforcement to add additional measures, a spokesperson said. At the New York Public Library, some authors said they are not afraid to gather in public. “The only time I was nervous was when we were told how much security there would be, thinking maybe there were some threats, but I doubt it,” said author Paul Auster. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reporting by Randi Love and Sofia Ahmed in New York and Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles. Lisa Richwine writes. Edited by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

title: “Security Concerns Emerge As Writers Show Public Support For Rushdie Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “Raymond Rios”

Irish novelist Colum McCann, British author Hari Kunzru and others read excerpts from Rushdie’s works from atop the steps of the library’s flagship off Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. Below, at an organizer-enforced distance, a crowd of about 400 gathered to listen, breaking into a “Stand with Salman” chant when the event ended. Some held signs depicting Rushdie and said: “If we are not sure of our freedom, then we are not free.” Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Police say Rushdie was attacked by a 24-year-old New Jersey man who stormed a stage and stabbed the author in the neck and torso at a literary festival in western New York last week. Rushdie, who was rushed to hospital, survived. read more There were no bag checks or metal detectors to check for weapons before Rushdie, who had been on death row for 33 years, showed up. read more The suspect has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and second-degree assault. “I hope this is a wake-up call that people like Salman, who are fearless, who write things as they see it, who are not afraid to tell the truth as they see it, are really in danger,” said the head of PEN America. Executive Suzanne Nossel. The nonprofit free speech and human rights group helped organize the event. Attendees spoke about their concerns for themselves and other writers after the attack. “We are all at risk. And some of us are more overtly at risk than others,” Iranian-American author Roya Hakakian said in an interview. While the death penalty, or fatwa, ordered against Rushdie by Iran was one of the most high-profile threats, many writers say harassment and calls for violence have become part of the experience of being a writer. “Love Is an Ex-Country” author Rada Jarrar said in an email interview this week that she had to learn how to “aim a gun better” and prepare physically in the event of an attack after tweeting about the former first lady Barbara Bush who made threats. Supporters of author Salman Rushdie attend a reading and rally to show solidarity for free speech at the New York Public Library in New York, U.S., August 19, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid read more When Bush died in 2018, Jarrar described her as an “amazing racist” for a comment about 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. Each threat she received mentioned that she is Muslim and warned her to go back where she came from, Jarrar said. She moved and hired a company to clean her personal data from the Internet. Queer Chicana author Myriam Gurba faced threats after criticizing author Jeanine Cummins in 2020 for 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 United States as undocumented. migrant. Gurba said many people supported her, but she also received threats of violence on her phone and online. “The first death threat I received said the police should execute me for my stupidity,” he said. This week, police in Scotland said they were investigating a threat against “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling after she tweeted her concern about Rushdie. read more At least one upcoming literary festival is beefing up security. Organizers of September’s National Book Festival, hosted by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., had already planned to require bag searches. Now, the festival is working with law enforcement to add additional measures, a spokesperson said. At the New York Public Library, some authors said they are not afraid to gather in public. “The only time I was nervous was when we were told how much security there would be, thinking maybe there were some threats, but I doubt it,” said author Paul Auster. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reporting by Randi Love and Sofia Ahmed in New York and Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles. Lisa Richwine writes. Edited by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.