Bernardine Evaristo, the president of the Royal Society of Literature (RSL), has defended the organization's lack of public support for Sir Salman Rushdie following an attack by an Islamist sympathiser. The RSL's silence has prompted criticism from various quarters, including an article by Melanie McDonagh and comments from Sir Salman Rushdie himself, who questioned the RSL's impartiality in defending writers' freedom of expression. Fellow of the RSL, Matt Ridley, expressed shock at the organization's failure to stand up for Rushdie, and Kate Clanchy suggested the RSL's reluctance was to avoid offending Joanne Harris.
As a FRSL, I am shocked by its failure to stand up for Salman Rushdie. https://t.co/4MWZUQjhvZ
I'm afraid @HadleyFreeman is quite right to say that the RSL didn't want to defend Salman Rushdie in case Joanne Harris should be offended. https://t.co/HUe695t5gY https://t.co/Xx9TXRsO5m
Sir Salman Rushdie has questioned the Royal Society of Literature over its “impartiality” towards attacks on writers as he entered the dispute over its support for freedom of expression ⬇️ https://t.co/CRyIwltNxT
✍️ Melanie McDonagh: If the RSL cannot bring itself to clamber onto its high horse about a homicidal attack on a writer because the attacker did not like Sir Salman’s views on Islam, it may as well shut down Read more: https://t.co/E6XMkmuQnT https://t.co/YiswD3LyHf
The president of the Royal Society of Literature, Bernardine Evaristo, has defended the organisation’s failure to publicly express support for Sir Salman Rushdie following the recent attempt on his life by an Islamist sympathiser angered by the depiction of the prophet Mohammed… https://t.co/sDNsXN2xdQ