Lassana
Bathily, the Mali-born Muslim employee who saved the lives of several shoppers at Kosher supermarket during the
Paris attack that left 4 dead, has been granted French citizenship by France.
The 24 year old guided terrified
customers to safety in a supermarket chiller when terrorist Amedy
Coulibaly burst into the supermarket on January 9th and killed four
people. Lassana, who was in the store's underground stockroom at the
time, hid many customers in a freezer. He then escaped and was able to
give police valuable information about what was happening inside. He's
been praised for his
quick-thinking and bravery and is being called a hero.
To reward him, the French government
granted him citizenship during a ceremony that held today, saying his
'act of humanity has become a symbol of an Islam of peace and
tolerance.'
Receiving his citizenship, Lassana said
with tears in his eyes 'Tonight I'm very proud and deeply touched. I'm
not a hero, I am Lassana. I'll stay true to myself. People are all equal
to me and skin color isn't a matter. France is the country of human
rights,'
Some of the people he saved pictured above. Below is the story he told of what happened that day
"When they ran down, I opened the door
[of the freezer]. There are several people who came to me. I turned off
the light, I turned off the freezer. When I turned off the cold, I put
them [hostages] in, I closed the door, I told them to stay calm.'
After the siege ended, Lassana said many
of the customers came to
shake his hand and thank him for what he did. He's lived in France since
2006 and had filed an application for French citizenship last year.
French authorities honoured the Mali-born employee who saved lives at the kosher supermarket attacked by terrorists as a hero and granted him French citizenship.
Bernard Cazeneuve, the Interior Minister, praised Muslim Lassana Bathily (pictured), 24, for his "courage" and "heroism" during a ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
Cazeneuve said Bathily's "act of humanity has become a symbol of an Islam of peace and tolerance".
"Tonight I'm very proud and deeply touched," Bathily said, tears in his eyes, humbly stressing he doesn't consider himself a hero. "I am Lassana. I'll stay true to myself.
"People are all equal to me and skin colour isn't a matter. France is the country of human rights."
Bathily was in the store's stock room underground when gunman Amedy Coulibaly burst in upstairs on January 10 and killed four people.
Bathily turned off the freezer and hid a group of shoppers
inside before sneaking out through a fire escape to help police with
their operation to free the 15 hostages and kill the attacker.
Bathily has lived in France since 2006. He had applied for French citizenship last year.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Paris says she plans to sue Fox News for what she says were inaccurate reports about alleged Muslim "no-go areas" in the city.
Anne Hidalgo claimed the people of Paris had been insulted and the city's image had been damaged.
"When we're insulted, and when we've had an image, then I think we'll have to sue, I think we'll have to go to court, in order to have these words removed," Hidalgo said in an interview with CNN. "The honour of Paris has been prejudiced."
When asked to clarify which network she planned to take to court, she replied: "Fox News, that's the name."
French authorities honoured the Mali-born employee who saved lives at the kosher supermarket attacked by terrorists as a hero and granted him French citizenship.
Bernard Cazeneuve, the Interior Minister, praised Muslim Lassana Bathily (pictured), 24, for his "courage" and "heroism" during a ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
Cazeneuve said Bathily's "act of humanity has become a symbol of an Islam of peace and tolerance".
"Tonight I'm very proud and deeply touched," Bathily said, tears in his eyes, humbly stressing he doesn't consider himself a hero. "I am Lassana. I'll stay true to myself.
"People are all equal to me and skin colour isn't a matter. France is the country of human rights."
Bathily was in the store's stock room underground when gunman Amedy Coulibaly burst in upstairs on January 10 and killed four people.
Bathily has lived in France since 2006. He had applied for French citizenship last year.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Paris says she plans to sue Fox News for what she says were inaccurate reports about alleged Muslim "no-go areas" in the city.
Anne Hidalgo claimed the people of Paris had been insulted and the city's image had been damaged.
"When we're insulted, and when we've had an image, then I think we'll have to sue, I think we'll have to go to court, in order to have these words removed," Hidalgo said in an interview with CNN. "The honour of Paris has been prejudiced."
When asked to clarify which network she planned to take to court, she replied: "Fox News, that's the name."
