‘Bollard man’ who confronted Sydney stabbing attacker will get Australian residency | EUROtoday

Video footage from Saturday’s stabbings exhibits Damien Guerot confronting the attacker, who was making an attempt to take an escalator to the next ground contained in the mall. Guerot will be seen edging towards the attacker, elevating a darkish pole to discourage him. He later instructed native media that he and his buddy “really wanted to stop” the attacker and had been performing on adrenaline.

Police recognized the assailant as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, who killed six folks in his stabbing assault and injured a number of others earlier than he was shot useless by an officer. Among these being handled for stab wounds is a 9-month-old child, police mentioned.

Following Saturday’s assault, Guerot was hailed a “hero” on social media and by native media shops. He has affectionately been nicknamed “Bollard Man” — in reference to the barrier put up he used to attempt to deter the attacker.

Geurot is a development employee and was working in Australia on a visa that’s set to run out in a few months, he instructed Australia’s Channel 7 News following the incident.

On Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese thanked Guerot for his show of “extraordinary bravery.”

“I say this to Damian … you are welcome to stay for as long as you like,” Albanese mentioned in a information convention. “This is someone who we would welcome becoming an Australian citizen, although that would have course be a loss for France.”

Guerot has been provided everlasting residency, his lawyer Belinda Robinson instructed public broadcaster SBS News.

“He got a call from immigration, and the prime minister said that he can’t give him citizenship, but we’ll give him permanent residency,” Robinson mentioned. “We’re just waiting to hear back when that’s going to become official.”

The Guardian Australia reported that Guerot can’t instantly change into a citizen as a result of the Australian authorities can’t waive residency necessities.

According to Australia’s Department of Home Affairs, descent and conferral are the commonest methods to use for Australian citizenship. To change into an Australian citizen, one will need to have a father or mother who’s or was an Australian citizen after they had been born, or be a everlasting resident, although different pathways are listed on the web site.

Australian Immigration Minister Andrew Giles additionally praised Guerot, telling SBS News that the Frenchman’s “extraordinary bravery is an example of the character we all want to see in our society.” Giles thanked Guerot, members of the general public, police and first responders for serving to to guard others.

Police mentioned Saturday’s assault, by which principally ladies had been focused, was not linked to terrorism. Cauchi was stricken with psychological sickness, police mentioned.

Just two days after the lethal mall assault, Australia was shaken by one other stabbing in Sydney, this time at an Assyrian church. A bishop was delivering a sermon on Monday when he was stabbed, and a priest was additionally injured.

The service was being live-streamed when the incident passed off. The assault is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, police mentioned Tuesday. A 16-year-old boy is in custody.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb mentioned Tuesday that the bishop and the priest have undergone surgical procedure and are “lucky to be alive.”

Guerot isn’t the primary particular person to be honored by a rustic that’s not their very own for displaying heroic actions within the face of tragedy.

In 2018, an undocumented immigrant from Mali scaled a four-story house constructing to avoid wasting a toddler who was dangling from a Paris balcony. Mamoudou Gassama swiftly turned a nationwide hero as footage of the rescue went viral, with many dubbing him “Spider-Man.”