Visa approved for heroic french national who stopped bondi stabber with bollard 20240418 p5z1mt.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Visa approved for 'heroic' French national who confronted Bondi stabber with bollard

Mikala Theocharous
Mikala Theocharous

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A Frenchman who confronted the Bondi Junction attacker during his stabbing rampage will have his visa approved today, the prime minister has confirmed.

French nationals Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux were hailed as heroes after video from the Saturday attack showed them halting knifeman Joel Cauchi on an escalator, threatening him with bollards.

The pair were also captured running behind NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott and towards Cauchi, who was later shot dead by the officer.

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READ MORE: Inside bollard men's confrontation with Westfield stabbing spree killer Joel Cauchi

Damien Guérot and Silas Despreaux (L-R) Bondi Junction Westfield bollard man hero

Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux faced off with the Bondi Junction attacker.  Today

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that Guerot was "welcome to stay" after it was revealed that he was dealing with a visa application.

Albanese confirmed on Hit Central radio this morning the application would be approved today.

"I've spoken with the minister again just last night - his permanent residential visa will be approved today," he said.

"The footage was just extraordinary, he could have very easily walked away, but he chose to stand at the top of those escalators with the perpetrator coming up with a big knife.

"What an extraordinary act of bravery."

He also noted French President Emmanuel Macron issued a statement of support for the Frenchmen yesterday, dubbing them as "heroes".

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READ MORE: Westfield operator to waive a week's rent for tenants after attack

Bondi westfield man bollard video

Video of the Frenchman confronting Cauchi with a bollard went around the world. Nine

The pair detailed the heroic act on Today this morning, explaining they first hid with the rest of the crowd before deciding that they had to help.

"We go there and hide ... and Silas was like, 'We need to do something, we need to catch him'," Guerot said.

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They each picked up a bollard - which Guerot estimated weighed about 30kg to 40kg - and set off in pursuit of Cauchi.

"We saw him keep going, you know ... stabbing people, then we saw him going the other way and we followed him," Guerot said.

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