President Joe Biden released a statement on Saturday addressing the attack on author Salman Rushdie that occurred on Friday, saying that he was “shocked and saddened” by the assault.
“Jill and I were shocked and saddened to learn of the vicious attack on Salman Rushdie yesterday in New York,” Biden wrote.
He added: “We, together with all Americans and people around the world, are praying for his health and recovery.”
Rushdie was stabbed in the neck on Friday before he was scheduled to present a lecture at an educational center in western New York.
“Salman Rushdie—with his insight into humanity, with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced—stands for essential, universal ideals. Truth. Courage. Resilience. The ability to share ideas without fear,” wrote Biden.
The British-American author published controversial novel “The Satanic Verses” in the 1980s, which depicted the Islamic Prophet Mohammad in ways considered “blasphemous” to Muslims.
Rushdie was particularly criticized by former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who called for Rushdie’s murder by Islamic extremists.
The “fatwa” call to kill Rushdie has survived for over 30 years, motivating the attack on Friday where Rushdie was brutally attacked.
“These are the building blocks of any free and open society,” Biden said of Rushdie’s values. “And today, we reaffirm our commitment to those deeply American values in solidarity with Rushdie and all those who stand for freedom of expression.”