PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron on April 16 hailed two Frenchmen who helped to fend off a knife-wielding attacker who killed six people in a Sydney mall, calling them “real heroes”.

The man with a mental illness rampaged through a Sydney shopping mall on April 13 with a large knife, wounding a dozen people on top of the dead until he was shot dead by police.

“Two of our compatriots acted like real heroes. We are very proud and grateful”, Mr Macron said on social media platofrm X, formerly Twitter, also sending his condolences to the Australian people.

Mr Macron reposted a message from Mr Pierre-Andre Imbert, France’s ambassador to Australia, who identified the French nationals as Silas Despreaux and Damien Guerot and said they “showed great courage in trying to stop the attacker”.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised Mr Guerot, who has been dubbed “bollard man”, saying he could be offered citizenship.

Grabbing a bollard, Mr Guerot confronted Joel Cauchi, preventing the 40-year-old attacker from reaching more victims.

“This is someone who we would welcome becoming an Australian citizen, although that would of course be a loss for France,” Mr Albanese said. “We thank him for his extraordinary bravery.”

Five women and one Pakistani security guard were killed in the attack, which the authorities said was not an act of terrorism. AFP