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June 9, 2023 | 6:32 a.m
France calls him “the knapsack hero,” a young Catholic pilgrim on a tour of cathedrals who confronted the man who stabbed several children in a park in Annecy.
Henri, a 24-year-old management and philosophy student, was near the playground at Park Le Paquier when he saw the man attack children in a stroller whose mother was desperate to protect them on Thursday.
Video footage shows him trying to fend off the attacker with one of his two backpacks, chasing the man into the playground and throwing one of his bags at the attacker.
So far, most French people only know him by his first name. That’s all his social media accounts say, and police don’t elaborate.
French media simply called him “héros au sac à dos” (the backpack hero). His only public comment so far – the message “Pray for the children, I’m fine” on his Facebook page.
Europe 1 Radio said Henri will meet President Emmanuel Macron later on Friday.
Henri was near the playground at Le Paquier Park when he saw the man attack children in a stroller while their mother was desperately trying to protect them. Video footage shows him trying to fend off the attacker with one of his two backpacks.
Four small children and two pensioners were stabbed to death in a knife attack on Thursday in the tranquil French mountain town. According to the authorities, the main suspect was a Syrian refugee.
Video of the attack, taken by a bystander and confirmed by Portal, shows the attacker leaping over a low wall into a children’s playground and repeatedly pouncing on a child in a stroller, pushing aside a woman trying to fend him off while Henri chases after him and hits him with his backpack.
He is then seen chasing the attacker across the vast expanse of Le Paquier Grassland, dropping one of his backpacks to run faster as the police also begin the pursuit.
Henri (right) is then seen chasing the attacker across the vast expanse of Le Paquier grassland, dropping one of his backpacks to run faster as the police also begin the pursuit.AFPTV/ AFP via Getty Images
Henri’s Facebook and Instagram accounts were inundated with messages thanking him for his actions.
“May God bless you… You did what you could in that moment, you didn’t give up, you didn’t run. You are an angel,” Instagram user Mag Capone wrote on his website.
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