Putin invokes JK Rowling, says West trying to ‘cancel’ Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has invoked author J.K. Rowling, the creator of the “Harry Potter” book series, while accusing the West of trying to “cancel” Russia.

In a speech on Friday, Putin asserted that both Russia and Rowling are victims of “cancel culture.” Putin argued that Rowling “didn’t satisfy the demands” of critics over her comments about transgender individuals, while drawing a comparison to recent criticism of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

“They are now trying to cancel our country. I’m talking about the progressive discrimination of everything to do with Russia,” he said.

Putin compared cancel culture to Nazis burning books in the 1930s. “We remember the footage when they were burning books,” he said in Russian, according to a Sky News translator.

“It is impossible to imagine such a thing in our country and we are insured against this thanks to our culture. And it’s inseparable for us from our motherland, from Russia, where there is no place for ethnic intolerance, where for centuries representatives from dozens of ethnic groups have been living together,” he added. 

Putin’s speech comes as Russia enters the second month of its war in Ukraine, though the Kremlin has failed to quickly achieve its military objectives in the country.

Rowling distanced herself from the Russian leader’s comments on Friday, posting messages on Twitter to offer solidarity for Ukraine using the hashtag #IstandWithUkraine.

She tweeted a BBC story about Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and said, “Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics.” 

Rowling noted that her children’s charity, Lumos, is raising money to help those impacted by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Rowling said she is matching donations up to $1.3 million.

“The money raised will go directly to helping the thousands of children trapped by the fighting in Ukraine’s orphanages, unable to leave due to disability or lack of available family care. The conditions these children are facing are unimaginable, compounding the already present trauma of being confined to an institution in the first place,” her statement added.

In the last few years, Rowling has drawn backlash over her comments about transgender people. Stars of the “Harry Potter” films, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have publicly criticized her remarks.