2023-06-09 23:02:28
- James Fitzgerald
- BBC News
President Emmanuel Macron saluted the man – known only as Henri – for his bravery
French media have hailed the “hero with a backpack” for his attempts to thwart a knife attack in Annecy that left four children seriously injured.
Henry, 24, was filmed chasing the suspect and waving his bag at him.
Henry, who has been touring France’s cathedrals as part of his Catholic pilgrimage, says he followed his instincts and did what he might to “protect the weak”.
President Emmanuel Macron praised his courage when he met him in town on Friday followingnoon.
Macron told Henri that his actions were “a source of hope”, but that the young man “lived…a shock”.
The French President traveled to meet the stabbing victims, and to thank those who responded quickly to the incident.
He said he had heard “positive” news regarding the condition of the four children who were injured in the attack. Two adults were also injured.
Footage from the incident itself and its immediate followingmath appeared to show Henry waving his backpack in the face of the attacker, who then tried to attack Henry in return.
Another clip showed him chasing the attacker across a grassy area.
And when the hashtag #ThankHenry started to spread online, Henry posted on Instagram a post saying: “Pray for the kids, I’m fine.”
Henry received letters of thanks, not only for his brave stance, but also for his apparent humility.
In an interview with C News the morning following the accident, Henry said, “All I know is that I wasn’t there by accident.”
“It is inconceivable that I do nothing… I followed my instincts and did what I might to protect the vulnerable,” he said.
Henry refused to reveal his full name, in an interview with the French “BFM” channel, and stated that he was not the only civilian who put himself in danger at the time of the attack.
Henry, who has a degree in business administration, said he “behaved like any French person, as many other people intervened as they might, I saw an employee in the garden trying to hit the attacker with his big plastic shovel.”
Henry’s father believes his son’s actions prevented more people from being hurt by the attacker.
Speaking to the Associated Press, he said his son “prevented a massacre by scaring the attacker” and expressed his admiration for his son, whom he described as “very brave”.
Henri had been interviewed just days before the accident by Le Duvonne Libge newspaper, in which he spoke of his nine-month tour of French cathedrals, which he planned to complete by walking and hiking.
Commenting on reports that the suspect in Thursday’s attacks also identifies as a Christian, Henry said that “attacking the weak is not Christian at all.”
The young man added, “Our eyes met and I felt that this man was not in a normal situation, and that something evil was inside him.”
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