Sir Salman Rushdie has provided a harrowing account in court, stating that he believed he was dying after being stabbed multiple times during an attack on stage nearly two years ago. The acclaimed British-Indian author has attributed severe injuries, including the loss of vision in one eye, to the assault, which occurred on August 12, 2022, while he was preparing to speak at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.
The attack and immediate aftermath
As the trial of his alleged assailant, 27-year-old Hadi Matar, unfolds in a New York state court, Rushdie recalled the chaos surrounding the attack. Matar has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of assault and attempted murder. During his testimony, Rushdie described how he noticed a figure rushing towards him shortly after being introduced to the audience. He noted the attacker’s dark clothing and face mask, but what struck him most were the individual’s “dark and ferocious” eyes.
“At that point he was hitting me repeatedly, stabbing and slashing,” the author recounted, detailing the rapid progression of the event.
Rushdie reported sustaining a total of 15 stab wounds, affecting his eye, cheek, neck, chest, torso, and thigh. When he attempted to defend himself, one of the injuries occurred on his left hand. He described the pain from the stab wound to his eye as the most intense. During his testimony, he removed his glasses to demonstrate the extent of his injury, informing the jury, “As you can see, that is what is left of it. There’s no vision in the eye at all.”
Reflections on his experience
The courtroom was tense as Rushdie narrated his experience, with Matar often lowering his head, avoiding eye contact. Lady Rushdie, sitting in the second row, was visibly emotional as her husband recounted the traumatic event. Since the release of his novel, The Satanic Verses, in 1988, Rushdie has faced numerous threats to his safety, culminating in a fatwa issued by Iran’s religious leader calling for his death. Although he had lived in relative safety for a time, he expressed concerns about his well-being following the attack.
Rushdie shared that immediately after the stabbing, he felt as if he was “lying in a lake of blood” and feared for his life. Fortunately, members of the audience intervened, subduing Matar, which Rushdie credited with saving his life. He was subsequently airlifted to a trauma center where he remained for 17 days receiving medical treatment.
During cross-examination, Matar’s attorney, Lynn Schaffer, questioned Rushdie’s recollection of the violent incident, suggesting that trauma can impact memory. However, Rushdie firmly stated, “Afterwards I could see [the wounds] on my body. I didn’t need to be told by anybody.” He also confirmed he had never interacted with Matar prior to the attack, and that the assailant did not communicate with him during the incident.
As the trial progresses, more witnesses, including medical professionals and law enforcement officers who managed the scene, are expected to testify, adding further layers to this already complex case.