“You don’t think in those moments.” Damien Guerot told Australian channel 7News about the moment of the attack on Saturday in Sydney, during which he helped repel the assailant Joel Cauchi. The latter was finally shot dead by a police officer after killing six people. The Frenchman has since been called a “hero” and was offered Australian citizenship.
That day, he explains that he was passing through the shopping center to go to a gym with a friend, who can also be seen in the videos of the attack. They then hear people shouting “There is someone stabbing people”. He stays in the shopping center, trying to understand what is happening and sees "a man on the ground with a lot of blood". “I saw a girl get stabbed,” he continues. She was just walking, she hadn't done anything. »
The duo ends up coming across the assailant. This is where Damien Guerot grabs a pole and faces Joel Cauchi at the top of an escalator, which has since earned him the nickname “the pole man”. “We tried to catch him but he was coming down the stairs,” says the Frenchman, who follows the attacker down, despite the risk. “We didn’t think, you don’t think in those moments,” he says, speaking of an “adrenaline” rush.
Damien Guerot says he looked into the assailant's eyes. “His eyes were empty,” he remembers, “he wasn’t there.”
VIDEO. “He is welcome here”: Australia offers citizenship to Frenchman who stopped attacker in Sydney
“She’s the heroine”
The two friends will then lead police officer Amy Scott to Joel Cauchi, who will finally shoot her dead. Damien Guerot does not consider himself a hero, “she is the heroine”, he assures, applauding the policewoman for her action.
For trying to repel the attacker, and certainly avoiding further deaths and injuries, the Australian government offered the Frenchman Australian citizenship. “I tell Damien Guerot that he is welcome here and that he can stay as long as he wants,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “He is someone we would happily welcome as an Australian citizen, although of course it would be a loss for France. We thank him for his extraordinary bravery.”