France offers citizenship to Malian immigrant who scaled building to save child

 

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) meets with Mamoudou Gassama, 22, from Mali, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 28, 2018. Mamoudou Gassama living illegally in France is being honored by Macron for scaling an apartment building over the weekend to save a 4-year-old child dangling from a fifth-floor balcony. Thibault Camus/Pool via Reuters

 

PARIS (Reuters) - France on Monday offered citizenship to an illegal immigrant from Mali who scaled the facade of a Paris apartment block to save a boy who was about to fall from a fourth-floor balcony, President Emmanuel Macron said.

 

Mali immigrant rescues dangling child from balcony in Paris, France, in this May 26, 2018 still image obtained May 28, 2018 from social media video. TAREK DANDACH/via REUTERS 

 

Video shows Mamoudou Gassama, 22, risking his life on Sunday as he climbed up the balconies to rescue the four-year-old who is clinging to a railing and glancing at the ground below, while horrified onlookers watched.

 

The video went viral and Gassama, who has been nicknamed "Spider-Man" for reaching the boy in the nick of time, was swiftly granted a meeting at the Elysee Palace.

 

"I did it because it was a child," French newspaper Le Parisien quoted Gassama as saying. "I climbed .... Thank God I saved him."

 

Macron congratulated Gassama for "an exceptional act" and said France would give him a job in the emergency services.

 

"We'll obviously be setting all your papers straight and if you wish it, we will start the process of naturalization so that you can become French," he added.

 

Ministers said the citizenship process would be sped up, although Gassama can't legally be granted it right away.

 

As elsewhere in Europe, immigration from Africa and the Middle East has fixated French public opinion in the last few years, fuelling the rise of far-right parties such as the National Front.

 

Macron, who had been criticised by left-wing voters for taking a tougher stance on immigration since his election, may also have sought to send a message to Socialist voters by signalling a more welcoming attitude to a deserving migrant.

 

Gassama told Macron he tried to cross the Mediterranean in March 2014 to reach Italy, but was caught by police.

 

Europe has faced a migrant crisis since 2015 following wars in Libya and Syria and more than 1 million people from Africa and the Middle East have tried to reach the continent via Turkey or by sea.

 

Macron's government has said it wants to be both firm and fair on immigration but it took a tougher stance lately, with parliament approving a bill that tightens asylum rules.

 

"What you have done corresponds with what firefighters do; if this fits your wishes, you could join the firefighters' corps so that you can do (such acts) on a daily basis," he said.

 

Adam Thiam, a Malian analyst and former presidential advisor told Reuters that Gassama's act had been praised in his home country.

 

"There is great pride here in Mali," Thiam said. "But while (Gassama) gets the honours, there are ... Malian citizens under the threat of being expelled by the French government."

 

Gassama told Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo by phone on Sunday 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.

 

The boy's father was arrested and told police he had left his son alone to go shopping and returned home later than planned because he was playing Pokemon Go, an enhanced reality game, on his smartphone.

 

"His behaviour constitutes an offence, failing to honour parental responsibilities, which carries a possible sentence of two years in jail," Molins said.

 

Gassama is being offered a spell of community service work at the Paris emergency services. An official website says the work pays about 480 euros ($558) a month for a fixed 11-month period.

 

(Reporting by Bate Felix, Michel Rose; Marine Pennetier, Julie Carriat in Paris, Sofia Christensen in Dakar; Writing by Mathieu Rosemain and Brian Love; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-05-29

 

 

 

Good for him... That's Karma

Not sure why the other guy didn't just lift the kid over the balcony though ??

He had hold of him before the SpiderMan got there and just picked him up one handed...

I'm thinking this guy is a cat burglar seeing the ease he scaled those balconies, the guy did a civic duty and got a citizenship for it, the fact that many just stood there and did nothing shows the people's apathy to others in distress... 

Edited May 29, 20188 yr by ezzra

Ezzra,, just felt the same..

About the neighbour,, he could not grab totally the child s hand and was helping him progressing slowly into his direction to be able to lift him by the hand.. Then spiderman appeared and luckily saved the child..

Well done..  Worth a gift but french nationality ???

In the last few months a few people rescued also people in danger for example, jumping into the cold water to save an elderly lady from drowning, another one interfered in a fight and got really hurt and had more than 6 months hospital and will never recover totally from his head injuries done with a metal bar.. etc..

Nothing for them.. No meeting with Macron (luckily for them, this is already a reward), no gift no money nothing.. but they were french..

Have a nice day

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

I'm thinking this guy is a cat burglar seeing the ease he scaled those balconies

 

Or Malian Parkour champion ??

3 minutes ago, lanista said:

Do you think the Thai gov would give a visa for life to a farang scaling a wall to save a baby  from a poor family? 

 

They charge you with attempted kidnap ?

Just after spiderman rescues the child , the other guy on the balcony seems to unclip him and put a harness on the floor , or something (its unclear)

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

Just after spiderman rescues the child , the other guy on the balcony seems to unclip him and put a harness on the floor , or something (its unclear)

 

I watched it several times, even zooming in and there is nothing like that.  I don't know what you imagine you're seeing.  Perhaps you could grab some screenshots and annotate them.

3 minutes ago, attrayant said:

 

I watched it several times, even zooming in and there is nothing like that.  I don't know what you imagine you're seeing.  Perhaps you could grab some screenshots and annotate them.

In the video, on the 1 minute mark , the other guy seems to be fiddling around with something on the floor , behind the balcony 

39 minutes ago, lanista said:

I would still deport him.

The child was  being held by the other guy- another refugee no doubt-.

Go home.

Do you think the Thai gov would give a visa for life to a farang scaling a wall to save a baby  from a poor family?   No chance!

 

Why doesnt France just fill up its country with blacks and arabs and be done with it.

 

I'm not sure anyone outside of Thailand regards what the Thai government might or might not do as a guide to their own decisions. 

 

Certainly not the French government. 

 

Oh, and you'll never get to deport anyone, you're just an insignificant individual bitterly resenting the bravery of someone you recognise to be the man you never where nor never could be.

Edited May 29, 20188 yr by Chomper Higgot

33 minutes ago, sanemax said:

In the video, on the 1 minute mark , the other guy seems to be fiddling around with something on the floor , behind the balcony 

 

I downloaded the video and went through it frame by frame from 00:55 to 01:05 and made these observations:

 

1. It is, as you noted, unclear.

2. The guy never goes down behind the balcony before the camera cuts away.

3. When he lets go of the child, he's not holding anything.

 

So I'd like to know how you went from this:

 

42 minutes ago, sanemax said:

or something (its unclear)

 

To this:

 

42 minutes ago, sanemax said:

the other guy on the balcony seems to unclip him and put a harness on the floor

 

 

1 minute ago, attrayant said:

 

I downloaded the video and went through it frame by frame from 00:55 to 01:05 and made these observations:

 

1. It is, as you noted, unclear.

2. The guy never goes down behind the balcony before the camera cuts away.

3. When he lets go of the child, he's not holding anything.

 

So I'd like to know how you went from this:

 

 

To this:

 

 

 

I am just trying to discuss it, talk about it , I am not trying to either prove myself right , or to prove you wrong 

Why didnt the guy on the balcony pick the child up ?

Why was there any need to spiderman to make a rescue ?

There was no need for spiderman to risk his life , when the other guy on the balcony could have made the rescue at the beginning 

"The boy's father was arrested and told police he had left his son alone to go shopping and returned home later than planned because he was playing Pokemon Go, an enhanced reality game, on his smartphone.

 

"His behaviour constitutes an offence, failing to honour parental responsibilities, which carries a possible sentence of two years in jail,"

 

Thai laws and 

the mother of the four children who recently fell from the balcony in Thailand

comes to mind

not arrested and expecting no punishment

Edited May 29, 20188 yr by sweatalot

58 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Why didnt the guy on the balcony pick the child up ?

Why was there any need to spiderman to make a rescue ?

There was no need for spiderman to risk his life , when the other guy on the balcony could have made the rescue at the beginning 

Armchair hero!

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Why didnt the guy on the balcony pick the child up ?

Why was there any need to spiderman to make a rescue ?

There was no need for spiderman to risk his life , when the other guy on the balcony could have made the rescue at the beginning 

when the climber went up, there was no-one in sight.
then, as mentioned already, the white t-shirt shows and tries to get the child to move his way.
(he did not scale the railing, but was in his own way trying to help, as most anyone would.)
Please do note that he is not holding a mobile phone to take selfies while doing it.)

Really makes one wonder why so many people have to moan about someone climbing up a facade to help a little child, instead of saying
to both of them.
WELL DONE.
(maybe issues with courage, fitness, majority complexes, minority complexes, vertigo, dislike of wide spaces, dislike of small spaces....
As Sibyl used to say, it is actually difficult to find the right space for her .... )

Nice work Mamadou...altho you do realise that the next time theres a cat burglar on the loose, le polis might come knocking on your door.

praise to the gentleman who save the child as well a little sarcasm, how come france didnt block him at the border, since france is taking strong approach against immigrants 

16 minutes ago, KKr said:

Really makes one wonder why so many people have to moan about someone climbing up a facade to help a little child, instead of saying
to both of them.
WELL DONE.

I am not "moaning" about anything .

Just making observations and asking questions .

7 minutes ago, sanemax said:

I am not "moaning" about anything .

Just making observations and asking questions .

No offense meant, I answered your question.

I was moaning about the general negative attitude when someone, an illegal immigrant I Say, does something extraordinary.

1 minute ago, KKr said:

No offense meant, I answered your question.

I was moaning about the general negative attitude when someone, an illegal immigrant I Say, does something extraordinary.

So many times we hear stories like this and quite often the reality turns out to be quite different to what was initially reported

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

So many times we hear stories like this and quite often the reality turns out to be quite different to what was initially reported

agree, but in the video the sequence is rather clear.
I would like to add though that "Spiderman" did apparently not think about consequences when climbing up.
Finally in France after many tries to get out of his home country, yet no worry about being arrested for his visa or residence permit issues, having the physical skills, when seeing a human in distress, he did what we all should do. Come to the rescue.
A great human being. 

After being arrested, the Father of the child may be regretting his negligence for many years.

Awesome bit of news for a change. He gets a job as a Fireman, gets French Citizenship, and the little boy gets another 70 years on the planet. Perfik !

The boy's father was arrested and told police he had left his son alone to go shopping and returned home later than planned because he was playing Pokemon Go, an enhanced reality game, on hi s smartphone .

 

Forget about the Thai government and it's actions on this issue - just think of the above... smart? Anyone agree?

 

Ever seen 'racist' comments?

?

 

 

Edited May 29, 20188 yr by ravip
add

44 minutes ago, dorchester said:

Did they count the silverware after the meeting?

?

8 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

Good for him... That's Karma

Not sure why the other guy didn't just lift the kid over the balcony though ??

He had hold of him before the SpiderMan got there and just picked him up one handed...

Everyone is not smart enough to think in an emergency.

Troll post removed..

8 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Armchair hero!

Exactly! And the hero lifted the child with one hand. Why the other guy was not to do the same? The best part Macaron promised him work. That was a serious threat  to the guy ?

That guy was amazingly fit and agile, and the child was extremely fortunate that he was there and willing to risk his personal safety to save its life. Pretty racist to suggest that his climbing skills likely came from being a cat burglar. All the discounting on this thread of what was nothing short of a heroic act. Pfft.

12 hours ago, rtr4 said:

Exactly! And the hero lifted the child with one hand. Why the other guy was not to do the same? The best part Macaron promised him work. That was a serious threat  to the guy ?

You just can’t help yourself can you!