Moments before Salman Rushdie was nearly murdered at a public event in western New York on Friday, he had signed up to become a roving envoy for writers in mortal peril, agreeing to travel across the US to encourage cities to provide asylum and protection for artists in need.
The bitter irony – that within minutes of having made this commitment Rushdie was himself stabbed 10 times on stage – was revealed by the event’s moderator, who was also injured in the assault.
