Normal People stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones have signed an open letter in support of Irish author Sally Rooney, after her publisher had announced that they would be stopping the supply of her books in the UK.
The actors, who starred in the television adaption based on Rooney's bestselling novel, signed this letter, which also includes the signatures of director Lenny Abrahamson and Alison Oliver, who starred in an adaption of another Rooney novel, Conversations With Friends.
Other names to put pen to paper on this letter include, Sharon Horgan, Jessie Buckley, Kneecap, CMAT, as well as writers Colm Tóibín, Colum McCann, Anne Enright and Anna Burns. Elsewhere, international stars to sign this letter also include Tilda Swinton and Susan Sarandon, authors Zadie Smith and Arundhati Roy, and Nobel literature laureates Anne Carson, Annie Ernaux and JM Coetzee.
The letter which was published in the New Statesman, says: "Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist. Her books must be available to the public".
It goes on to criticise the UK legislation, which led to the decision to stop supplying Rooney's books, calling it an affront to freedom of expression. It also calls on the UK Government to amend this legislation, which they have called "direct or indirect" censorship.
Last week, Rooney's publisher, Faber, had announced that they would no longer supply her books in the UK, due to her support for Palestine Action. Faber had said that they could no longer pass on any earnings from British sales to Rooney, due to UK legislation, saying that the idea of selling her work without paying them was "unconscionable".
They added that the decision to cease supplying books in the UK was made with Rooney's consent.
Sally Rooney had said that she would use any earnings from her books and TV adaptions to support this group.
Her books have not been formally banned in the UK, and retailers can continue to sell the existing stock, but they cannot order new copies from Faber.
Rooney's works continue to be available in Ireland and other international markets.
