U.K. Police Launch Probe Into Threat Made to J.K. Rowling After Salman Rushdie Tweet

Warner Bros. Discovery, the media conglomerate behind the “Harry Potter” film franchise, condemned the online attack against Rowling in a statement yesterday.

J. K. Rowling attends the "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" World Premiere on March 29, 2022, in London, England. Credit: Getty Images
J. K. Rowling attends the "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" World Premiere on March 29, 2022, in London, England. Credit: Getty Images

U.K police are investigating an online threat made to British writer J.K. Rowling after she tweeted in support of novelist Salman Rushdie.

The “Satanic Verses” author was stabbed several times on Friday ahead of a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York. Rushdie, who is 75 years old, sustained numerous injuries, including a damaged liver, severed nerves in an arm, and an eye that he likely might lose. According to his literary agent Andrew Wylie, though Rushdie’s condition is severe, it “is headed in the right direction.”

Following Friday’s attack, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling took to social media to share her sentiments. She wrote on Twitter, “Horrifying news,” and added in a follow-up post, “Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok.”

In a since-deleted tweet, a user with the handle @MeerAsifAziz1 fired back at Rowling, saying, “Don’t worry you are next.”

Rowling replied to the threat, tagging Twitter’s support team and writing, “@TwitterSupport These are your guidelines, right? ‘Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence…’”
 

The account was suspended yesterday evening, per the New York Times.

Warner Bros. Discovery, the media conglomerate behind the “Harry Potter film franchise, condemned the online attack yesterday in a statement, saying, “Warner Bros. Discovery strongly condemns the threats made against J.K. Rowling. We stand with her and all the authors, storytellers and creators who bravely express their creativity and opinions. WBD believes in freedom of expression, peaceful discourse and supporting those who offer their views in the public arena. Our thoughts are with Sir Salman Rushdie and his family following the senseless act of violence in New York. The company strongly condemns any form of threat, violence or intimidation when opinions, beliefs and thoughts might differ.”

Scotland police are investigating a report of the “online threat.”

J.K. Rowling has found herself in the media spotlight in recent years for a number of transphobic tweets and comments, many of which she’s doubled down on.

Last month, the real-life sport of Quidditch, inspired by the fictional game in Rowling’s books, rebranded its name to Quadball in an effort to distance itself from Rowling and her anti-trans remarks.