The assailant was arrested by the police shortly after his crime. The man is described as a Syrian “refugee,” having declared himself a “Christian,” and having lived for 10 years in Sweden. However, he was speaking incoherently and could not be understood in the context of the investigation.
A Brave Man
In the midst of this horror, “a young man with a backpack,” showed a courage which clarified the moment, and made it possible to avoid a toll that would have been much greater if the suspect had not been prevented from stabbing other potential victims by this passerby’s act of bravery.
As LifesiteNews reported, “More people would almost certainly have been hurt, or even killed, if Henri d’Anselme, 24, a practicing traditional Catholic, had not confronted the attacker, who appeared to be out for the blood of young children. He hit him with his backpack, confronted him eye to eye, and forced him to leave the playground.”
“Henri is a former scout and an active member of the youth group ‘Missio,’ which organizes summer and winter camps as well as retreats for young people attached to the Traditional Latin Mass. . . . He was quickly identified in Catholic circles as a former philosophy and international management student who is currently touring France’s cathedrals hitch-hiking and on foot in a nine-month bid to discover the over 170 masterpieces of religious architecture that are the fruits of centuries of Catholic faith in France.”
This young hero explains with simplicity: “All I know that it was not by chance that I was there during my tour of the cathedrals. I crossed this man’s path and I reacted by instinct. I didn’t stop to think; to me it was unthinkable to stand by and do nothing, and I acted in the way a Frenchman should act. By that I mean that I followed my instinct and did all I could to protect the weakest.”
Acting Despite Fear: The Definition of Courage
The young hero – who refuses this qualifier – continues his story: “Yes, I was in fear for my life, but I was more in fear for the life of others, I didn’t want him to hurt anyone else.”
On Thursday, after the attack, he reported on the events on “Le chant des Cathédrales,” the Facebook page where his followers follow his pilgrimage. “I acted in a way a Frenchman should act,” he says.
However – and unfortunately – it is not certain that this statement about Frenchmen is true. A first proof to the contrary is the existence of videos of the attack – and of Henri’s courageous action. Who can think of turning on their cell phone to film such an act, rather than rushing and uniting with others to defend these defenseless children?
The second proof is in the fact that there was only one other person – a municipal employee who arrived with a shovel – who helped the man who was fighting for the lives of children who were not his own. Unfortunately, it is a fact that courage is becoming an increasingly rare value, even if it has not completely disappeared.
The young man also explained the meaning of his pilgrimage, which somewhat reveals the source of his courage: “My desire is to discover these masterpieces of religious architecture, built by our ancestors who were steeped in grandeur, and through which we should be inspired. When I went into action in the playground [where the attack took place], it was the grandeur of the cathedrals that had nourished me and that was pushing me forward.”
An abominable act took place near Lake Annecy on Thursday June 8, 2023: a man armed with a knife attacked passers-by and especially young children, whom he stabbed, injuring four small victims and two adults. To date, the victims are no longer in danger, even if the state of health of two children remains worrying.