France stabbing – latest: Annecy locals attend mass as Mayor says injured children are ‘stable’
Father Didier Milani and Bishop Yves Le Saux were pictured hosting the packed service in Annecy on Friday
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Locals have attended a mass for the victims of an “unfathomable” knife attack at a lakeside playpark in southeastern France.
Father Didier Milani and Bishop Yves Le Saux were pictured hosting the service in Annecy on Friday, one day after the incident in which four young children and two pensioners were injured, to a church packed full of people praying for the victims.
On Friday afternoon the Mayor of Annecy said he was “confident” about the condition of the children involved in the attack.
Francois Astorg told reporters close to the scene: “The children are stable right now, the adults are much better.”
A suspect has been arrested and identified as a 31-year-old Syrian refugee, who authorities say had been refused asylum in France days earlier, as he had been granted refugee status in Sweden earlier this year.
Well-wishers continued to visit the park on Friday morning to lay flowers and other tributes for those injured in the attack. The children are between 22 months and three years old.
Man who chased Annecy attacker around park ‘reacted instinctively'
A man who appeared to chase a knifeman around a park in the French Alps has been labelled a hero in France.
Known by just his first name, Henri was seen in videos shared on social media chasing the knifeman around a park in Annecy on Thursday as he attacked children and adults.
The knifeman attacked the group of children - aged between 22 months and three years - and two adults at a lakeside park.
Henri, 24, is travelling across the country visiting various cathedrals and was visiting the lakeside town at the time of the attack.
He told Cnews: “What I know is that I was not there by chance. On my Chemins des Cathedrales (cathedral tour) I crossed paths with this man.
“I reacted instinctively. I did not think. To me, it was unthinkable not to do anything.
“I reacted how every French person should.
“Which means, I followed my instinct and did everything I could to protect the weak.”
In videos shared on social media, Henri can be seen wearing a rucksack and carrying another which he waves at the attacker who tries to slash him with his knife.
Another video shows Henri, who is wearing dark grey trousers and a dark-coloured t-shirt, chasing the attacker across a patch of grass.
‘They are stable and we are confident’, says Mayor of Annecy on childrens’ condition
The Mayor of Annecy has said he is “confident” about the condition of the children involved in the attack.
Francois Astorg told reporters close to the scene: “The children are stable right now, the adults are much better.
“President Macron this morning went to see the children in Grenoble and the adults later.
“The kids have been operated on, they are stable and we are confident, I don’t want to say more than that at the moment.”
Police officer praised by colleague and Macron for saving child stabbed in attack
A police officer has been praised for saving one of the children who was stabbed at a playground in Annecy by maintaining pressure on a wound.
The officer was brought to the attention of French president Emanuel Macron during his visit to the Prefecture d’Annecy, where he met with those who had intervened to stop the 31-year-old Syrian suspect.
News footage showed the moment Mr Macron shook hands with members of the Police Municipale and one officer heaped praise on her colleague, saying he “certainly saved the child’s life because he maintained a pressure point on a child and kept them alive”.
The French president responded by telling the officer: “Thank you for intervening so quickly and with so much professionalism.”
Video report: Attacker ‘jumped’ on elderly person before being apprehended
Dutch girl injured in attack is ‘out of danger’, minister says
A Dutch girl among the four children who were attacked is “out of danger”, Holland’s foreign minster has said.
Wopke Hoekstra said was is “relieved to hear that the Dutch girl who fell victim to the stabbing in Annecy yesterday is out of danger”.
The Dutch ambassador in Bern has spoken to one of the girl’s parents, he said, adding: “We support them as best we can during this difficult time.”
Doctors say children were saved by ‘swiftness’ of response, Macron says
Medics treating the children injured in yesterday’s knife attack believe they were saved by the speed of the response to the attack by civilians and first responders, according to Emmanuel Macron
“The first thing doctors told me ... is that these children were saved by the swiftness of the collective intervention,” Macron said, following a visit to Grenoble hospital.
“Thank you immeasurably for your courage,” the French president told a crowd of rescuers and emergency workers at the police station in Annecy.
Two worst-injured children are cousins, says Macron
The two children most critically injured in the attack are cousins, French president Emmanuel Macron has said.
They are both stabilised and “doctors were very confident”, he said in Annecy, following a visit to the hospital in Grenoble where they were being treated, expressing hope that “normally things will continue to improve”.
The pensioner who was stabbed multiple times and hit by a police bullet as they sought to demobilise the attacker is regaining consciousness, Mr Macron said, having met and thanked a second injured pensioner who had been discharged from hospital with a wound to his elbow.
Children’s conditions ‘heading in right direction’, says Macron
The condition of the children hospitalised in Grenoble is “heading in the right direction”, Emmanuel Macron has said.
Following his visit to meet the families there earlier today, the French president said in Annecy that he heard “positive” news about their condition, adding: “Everything that I was told is heading in the right direction.”
Portuguese citizen ‘wounded trying to stop the attacker'
Portugal’s foreign ministry has said that a Portuguese citizen was one of the two adults wounded.
“In the course of the tragic event, a Portuguese citizen, while trying to stop the attacker from fleeing from the police, was seriously injured and is now out of danger. For this act of courage and bravery, we thank him profoundly,” the ministry said.
Watch: Rishi Sunak condemns ‘unfathomable’ horror knife attack in France
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