The director and the entire board quit too

After the board’s statement canceling Abdel-Fattah’s appearance, other speakers on the program — including British novelist Zadie Smith and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern — withdrew from their events too. The Festival’s director quit Tuesday, citing her objections to the board’s decision to disinvite Abdel-Fattah. 

Louise Adler, a Jewish Australian, wrote in the Guardian that she could not “be party to silencing writers.” She said 70% of the event’s speakers had withdrawn.

Hours later, a statement on the Festival’s Facebook page said that the event would not proceed and that all remaining board members would resign. The statement, which was not attributed to a named individual, offered an apology to Abdel-Fattah for “how the decision was represented.”