‘His fight is our fight’: France President Emmanuel Macron condemns attack on Salman Rushdie

Condemning the attack on Indian-born author Salman Rushdie in New York, France President Emmanuel Macron said Rushdie’s fight is universal now.

Supporting the Booker Prize winner, who spent years in hiding after Iran urged Muslims to kill him because of his writing, President Macron said, “For 33 years, Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism.”

He took to Twitter to write, “For 33 years, Salman Rushdie has embodied freedom and the fight against obscurantism. He has just been the victim of a cowardly attack by the forces of hatred and barbarism. His fight is our fight; it is universal. Now more than ever, we stand by his side.”

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson also condemned the attack and wrote, “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 author of the book, The Satanic Verses, was stabbed in the neck while onstage during an event at Chautauqua Institution in New York on Friday.