France honours "hero of Kosher supermarket" with citizenship
France has made a dream come true for one Muslim Malian immigrant by granting him citizenship.
Lassana Bathily has been described as the hero of the Kosher supermarket siege. He saved several lives during the hostage drama by hiding shoppers in a freezer when a gunman stormed the building.
Today, his efforts were rewarded with a special ceremony in which the 24-year-old was granted a French passport and a medal for bravery.
Presenting the award, France’s Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Bathily had become the symbol of “a peaceful and tolerant Islam”.
It comes after some 300,000 people gave their support to an online campaign calling on France to fast-track his application.
Bathily has lived in France for nine years and applied for citizenship last year.
Lassana Bathily has been described as the hero of the Kosher supermarket siege. He saved several lives during the hostage drama by hiding shoppers in a freezer when a gunman stormed the building.
Today, his efforts were rewarded with a special ceremony in which the 24-year-old was granted a French passport and a medal for bravery.
Presenting the award, France’s Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Bathily had become the symbol of “a peaceful and tolerant Islam”.
It comes after some 300,000 people gave their support to an online campaign calling on France to fast-track his application.
Bathily has lived in France for nine years and applied for citizenship last year.
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