"Hero" Malian migrant climbs building to save child in Paris

An immigrant in Paris has been hailed a hero after he climbed a four-storey building to rescue a young child hanging from a ledge.

Mamoudou Gassam, who is from Mali, has been told that the city will support his efforts to settle in France following the heroics.

Video shows him quickly climbing to reach the child, cheered on by onlookers, resulting in people calling him a real-life spiderman.

Gassama, 22, has even been invited to the Elysee presidential palace to meet with President Emmanuel Macron on Monday morning, an official at Macron's office said.

‘Congratulations to Mamoudou Gassama for his act of bravery that saved the life of a child,' Hidalgo said on her official Twitter account, adding that she spoke with him by phone to thank him.

Hidalgo said Gassama told her that he arrived from Mali a few months ago and wished to stay in France.

‘I replied that his heroic gesture was an example for all citizens and that the City of Paris will obviously be keen to support him in his efforts to settle in France,' Hidalgo said.

French minister and former government spokesman Christophe Castaner also took to Twitter to say how admirable it was that Gassama stepped forward to save a life without giving any thought for his own.

Le Parisien newspaper reported that Gassama was walking by when he saw a gathering in front of the building and leapt into action.

‘I did it because it was a child,' the paper quoted him saying. ‘I climbed… Thank God I saved him.'




METRO UK

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