A Frenchman who picked up a plastic pole and bravely faced the knife-wielding maniac who killed six people in an Australian shopping center has been told he can stay in the country as long as he wants – as Australian women swoon over his heroic actions.
Damien Guerot, known on the Internet as the viral “boundary man”, confronted Joël Cauchi during his crazy attack on Saturday, stopping him dead in his tracks on an escalator by pointing the heavy base of a pole directly at him .
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Cauchi, whose visa expires in a month, could stay in Australia for as long as he wanted and the country would “welcome him to become an Australian citizen”.
“I say this to Damien Guerot – who takes care of his visa applications – that you are welcome here, you can stay as long as you want,” Albanese told reporters on Tuesday.
“He is someone we would be happy to become an Australian citizen, although of course it would be a loss for France.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton agreed, saying Guerot – who was seen in surveillance footage putting his life on the line to try to stop Cauchi’s string of stabbing attacks – “embodies the Anzac spirit,” news.com.au reported.
Australian women applauded the decision and many took to the internet to express how the country “needs more heroes like him”.
“I wonder if #Bollardman knows how many of us want to give him a big hug. Him and all the other brave souls who helped put an end to this mentally disturbed man,” one person wrote.
“Bollard Man is hot!” Buddy, if you need a spouse visa, I’m available, ” one of them intervened.
Officials say Guerot’s actions in blocking Cauchi on the escalator may have saved lives.
Cauchi, 40, was shot dead shortly after by a responding officer after stabbing at least 14 people – most of them women – during his afternoon rampage in Bondi Westfield.
Five of the six people stabbed to death were women. Several other people, including a baby, were injured.
Authorities previously said the attack was linked to Cauchi’s “mental health” and that he was previously known to police but had never been arrested or charged in his home state of Queensland .
He had moved from place to place for several years and was diagnosed with an unconfirmed mental illness at 17, Queensland Police said.
The victims were identified by friends and family members:
- Pikria Darchia, a 55-year-old artist and designer
- Ashlee Good, 38, a new mom who worked as a physical therapist
- Dawn Singleton, 25, e-commerce assistant whose father is millionaire entrepreneur John Singleton
- Jade Young, 47, architect and mother of two
- Yixuan Cheng, 24, a Chinese national studying in Australia
- Faraz Tahir, 30, a security guard who was killed while protecting customers
Cauchi’s family condemned his behavior on Sunday, calling the savagery “truly horrible.”
New York Post
