Rushdie went into hiding and spent several years moving between safe houses and living under heightened security protection. The offices of Rushdie’s UK publishers were picketed and death threats were sent to his American publishers.
In May of that year, 30,000 protestors demonstrated outside the Houses of Parliament in London, while several British bookshops were firebombed. Western governments condemned the death threats, which were also opposed by several Muslim leaders.Ī week later, 12 people were killed in Mumbai when police attempted to stop thousands of protestors marching on the British High Commission. In February 1989, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa against Rushdie, calling for the author to be killed. The book was inspired by the life of the Prophet Muhammad and its publication led to accusations of blasphemy from many Muslims. The Satanic Verses, shortlisted for the 1988 Booker Prize, remains Rushdie’s most controversial work.
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