JK Rowling has told her fans that the police are involved after a tweet about Salman Rushdie prompted a death threat on Twitter. The controversial Harry Potter author had expressed sympathy for Rushdie after he was stabbed onstage on Friday at a literary event in New York.
On Saturday, it was reported that Rushdie was on a ventilator, having been taken to hospital after the attack. You can follow the latest updates on the incident here.
Following the attack, Rowling tweeted: “Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok.”
Shortly after posting the message, Rowling shared an image of a reply she had received, which read: “Don’t worry you are next.”
The author initially tagged in Twitter’s support account, writing: “Any chance of some support?”
Later, she gave fans an update and thanked them for their messages, writing: “To all sending supportive messages: thank you. Police are involved (were already involved on other threats).”
Rowling is one of several authors to have reacted following the attack on Rushdie this week. Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Nigella Lawson are also among those who expressed shock and sent messages of support to the Midnight’s Children author.
Rushdie was the subject of a fatwa issued in 1989, which was prompted by the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses.
