Salman Rushdie took the stand this week, recounting the harrowing details of a violent attack that left him with life-altering injuries. On a fateful day in August 2022, Rushdie was brutally attacked by Hadi Matar at the Chautauqua Institution amphitheater in western New York. The assailant stabbed the renowned author more than a dozen times with a 10-inch knife, leaving Rushdie severely wounded and hospitalized for over two weeks.
The chilling attack unfolded swiftly. As Rushdie began his testimony, he described the moment he realized the imminent danger.
“I was aware of this person rushing at me from my right-hand side. I was aware of someone in dark clothes … I was struck by his eyes which seemed dark and ferocious to me.” – Salman Rushdie
Rushdie initially thought he had been punched, but quickly realized the severity of his injuries when he saw blood on his clothes.
“He hit me very hard around my jawline and neck. Initially I thought he’d punched me with his fist, but very soon afterwards I saw blood on my clothes.” – Salman Rushdie
The attack left him unable to stand after being viciously stabbed multiple times.
“I was very badly injured and I couldn’t stand up any more,” – Salman Rushdie
The courtroom listened intently as Rushdie recounted the brutal assault, describing how he struggled to escape the relentless blows.
“Everything happened very quickly. I was stabbed repeatedly, and most painfully in my eye. I struggled to get away. I held up my hand in self-defense and was stabbed through that.” – Salman Rushdie
During the attack, Rushdie fell to the ground after attempting to distance himself from Matar. His testimony shed light on the assailant's intent.
“He was trying to strike me as many times as possible.” – Salman Rushdie
Matar, who dropped a bag containing assorted knives as he approached the stage, is accused of attempted murder and assault. The charges against him allege that he was inspired by an endorsement of the fatwa by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. As he entered the courtroom on Monday, Matar muttered a political slogan.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – Hadi Matar
Amidst heightened security measures, Rushdie's wife, Rachel Griffiths, and his agent, Andrew Wylie, sat in the gallery during the trial. The prosecution presented a compelling case against Matar, with Jason Schmidt describing the ferocity of the attack.
“Without hesitation, this man, holding his knife … forcefully and efficiently in its speed, plunged the knife into Mr Rushdie over and over and over and over again,” – Jason Schmidt
Rushdie displayed the long-term impact of his injuries by showing jurors the empty socket beneath an eye patch he now wears. His testimony is crucial in unfolding the events leading to his hospitalization, where he communicated by wiggling his feet while on a ventilator.
The attack on Rushdie occurred 35 years after Iranian religious leaders placed him under a death warrant for his controversial writings. This history has added a layer of complexity to the trial, which is expected to last up to two weeks. Defense attorney Lynn Schaffer emphasized the burden of proof required for conviction.
“Something very bad did happen, but the district attorney has to prove much more than that.” – Lynn Schaffer