France president hails frenchmen heroes after fending off serial stabber in bondi junction 20240417 p5z1l1.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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French President hails Frenchmen 'heroes' after confronting mass stabber at Bondi Junction

Mikala Theocharous
Mikala Theocharous

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France's president Emmanuel Macron has hailed two French citizens as heroes after they used a bollard to fend off serial stabber Joel Cauchi during the used a bollard.

Construction workers Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux confronted Cauchi on a stationary escalator in an attempt to end his stabbing spree on Saturday Afternoon.

Video emerged of the Guerot standing at the top of an escalator, waving a bollard at Cauchi.

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READ MORE: Teen who allegedly carried out Sydney church stabbing attack had fingers cut off

Damien Guerot given visa after defending Bondi attacker with bollard

Damien Guerot given visa after defending Bondi attacker with bollard LinkedIn

He is later seen wielding a metal cafe chair, sprinting behind Inspector Amy Scott towards Cauchi with a group of bystanders.

Macron called the men "heroes" in a translated post on X, formerly Twitter.

"Condolences to the Australians struck by an attack in a shopping centre in Sydney on Saturday," the post read.

"Two of our compatriots behaved like true heroes. Very great pride and recognition."

Earlier this week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Guerot, who was dealing with a visa application, is welcome to stay.

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"You are welcome to stay for as long as you like," Albanese said.

"This is someone who we would welcome becoming an Australian citizen, although that would of course be a loss for France."

READ MORE: Woman dead, two others in hospital after ingesting drink at Victorian retreat

Bondi westfield man bollard video

Video emerged of the Guerot standing at the top of an escalator, waving a bollard at Couchi.  Nine

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"We thank him for his extraordinary bravery," the Prime Minister said.

"It says a lot about the nature of humanity at a time when we are facing difficult issues that someone who is not a citizen of this country stood bravely at the top of those escalators and stopped this perpetrator from getting onto another floor and potentially inflicting further carnage on citizens."

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