Author Salman Rushdie attacked on lecture stage in New York

Author Salman Rushdie (Grant Pollard/Invision/AP)

Sir Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked on Friday as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.

An Associated Press reporter witnessed a man storm the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and begin punching or stabbing Sir Salman as he was being introduced. The author was taken or fell to the floor, and the man was restrained.