The letter, signed by dozens of artists, authors, actors, politicians, and public thinkers, serves as a direct response to the backlash Rooney has faced following her announcement that she would no longer be able to sell her books in the United Kingdom. This decision stems from the British government’s ban on Palestine Action, a direct action group that Rooney supports with a portion of her novels’ profits.
Directed at the British government, the open letter argues that Rooney’s treatment amounts to indirect censorship. It states that the withdrawal of her books from sale, based on what the signatories describe as ill-conceived and draconian anti-terror legislation, is an affront to basic principles of free speech and expression. The signatories categorically reject both direct and indirect censorship and urge the government to change course by amending the legislation that has led to this situation.
Rooney’s supporters include prominent scholars and public figures such as Amitav Ghosh, Namwali Serpell, Naomi Klein, and Slavoj Zizek. The letter also features literary peers including Sophie Kemp, Patricia Lockwood, and Zadie Smith. Additionally, both lead actors from the Normal People adaptation have signed the statement, alongside the band Massive Attack.
Tanjil Rashid, the cultural editor of The New Statesman, contextualized the letter in an accompanying op-ed. In his piece, Rashid objects to the United Kingdom’s widely framed anti-terror laws and censorship broadly, aligning with the letter’s call for the restoration of free expression principles.