Paris mayor praises Malian 'hero' for scaling building to save children

28/5/2018 6:40

        Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Sunday
        praised the heroism of a Malian immigrant who scaled the facade
        of a four-storey building in the north of capital to save a
        child hanging from a ledge, saying the city will support his
        effort to settle in France.
        
        The video of Mamoudou Gassama's quick climbing to reach the
        child, cheered on by terrified onlookers, went viral on social
        media, with people calling the 22-year-old a real spider man.
        
        "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."