Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged that a French citizen, who displayed heroism during the horrific knife attack in a Sydney shopping centre on Saturday, can stay in the country for "as long as he likes."
Albanese thanked Frenchman Damien Guerot on Tuesday for his exceptional efforts during the attack on Saturday. "I say this to Damien Guerot, who is dealing with his visa applications, that you are welcome to stay here as long as you like," he stated. "We would welcome him as an Australian citizen, although that would of course be a loss for France."
Joel Cauchi (40), suffering from mental health problems, fatally stabbed five women and one man in Bondi Junction shopping centre in central Sydney on Saturday, the BBC reported. Several others, including a baby, were injured. The attacker was eventually shot dead by a police officer.
Before police intervened, a man had courageously used a pole to prevent the knife-wielding assailant from continuing his rampage. These pivotal moments were caught on camera and have since gone viral across Australia.
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A petition signed by 1,200 people is urging that Guerot – dubbed the "bollard man" by the media – be granted Australian citizenship as a recognition of his bravery. The request comes as his visa is due to expire in one month.
Citing an "act of heroism," the petition points out that Guerot's "act of bravery and courage" bought time before the police arrived. "We don't know how many lives his altruistic act of heroism saved," said the signatories.
