1 of 2 “Rucksackheld” tried to stop a criminal who had stabbed four children in a playground in France. — Photo: Reproduction/Twitter “Rucksackheld” tried to stop the criminal who stabbed four children in a playground in France. — Photo: Reproduction/Twitter
A 24yearold Catholic pilgrim who tried to stop a criminal at a playground in France has been dubbed the country’s “backpack hero” (“le héros au sac a dos” in French).
The pilgrim, who identifies himself as Henri, was with an attacker who had stabbed four children in a park in the French Alps town of Annecy.
The criminal is a Syrian national and was wearing Christian regalia at the time of the attack.
“It is deeply unchristian to attack the weak. The entire Christian civilization on which our country is built is a chivalrous message in defense of widows and orphans. On the contrary, I think something very bad lived there,” Henri said.
According to Portal news agency, witnesses said at least one child involved was in a stroller.
Henri, who also studies philosophy, told French journalists on Friday that his Catholic faith gave him the strength to fight the man, Portal news agency reported.
2 of 2 Henri became known as the “backpack hero”; he tried to stop a criminal who had stabbed four children in a playground in France Photo: Reproduction/ Instagram Henri became known as the “backpack hero”; He tried to stop the criminal who stabbed four children in a playground in France Photo: Reproduction/ Instagram
He said he was near the playground when he saw the man attack children in a stroller and tried to protect them. “It was God’s will that I was there and able to intervene.”
“All I know is that I wasn’t there by accident. On my journey through the cathedrals I came across this man and acted on instinct. It was unthinkable to do nothing,” said the philosophy student.
“I was guided by Providence and the Virgin Mary. I said goodbye. They would decide what happened,” he said.
Henri said other youths also followed the attacker. “We tried to scare him and make it clear that he couldn’t do what he wanted,” he said.
When asked if the attacker might have been a Christian, Henri replied that it made no sense.
Henri, who is scheduled to meet President Emmanuel Macron later on Friday, said he was forced to give the horrifying details of the attack in a threehour statement to police on Thursday.
“Now I have all these horrible images in my head. I have to try to make something positive out of it,” he said.
“Through these events I can reach more people. Thank God,” he told BFM Television.