Heroes fight off attacker with a chair after rampage that killed teacher at school in France

13 October 2023, 11:43 | Updated: 13 October 2023, 12:58

Shocking footage has emerged showing heroes fighting off an attacker with a chair after he went on a rampage at a school in France.

The knifeman killed one person and seriously injured several others during an attack at around 11am local time at the Gambetta high school in Arras.

Sliman Hamzi, a police officer who was on the scene, said the man shouted "Allahu Akbar" as he rushed into the school, which means "God is great" in Arabic.

Clips of the incident shared online showed a group of men surrounding the attacker.

He could be seen lunging at victims in the courtyard as one man wielded a chair in defence.

The man tripped and fell, with the attacker quickly running over to punch and kick him. Another person then grabbed the chair and approached him in a bid to fight back.

Read more: Teacher killed and several others injured as knifeman ‘shouting Allahu Akbar’ goes on rampage at school in France

Meanwhile, students barricaded themselves in classrooms and were told to stay inside.

A man of Chechen origin and his brother were arrested at the scene, according to local reports.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said: “A police operation took place at the Gambetta high school in Arras. The perpetrator was arrested by the police.”

It comes after the former leader of Hamas called on Muslims to take to the streets and demonstrate amid the Israel-Hamas war.

President Emmanuel Macron said in an address on Thursday that 582 religious and cultural facilities in France were receiving stepped-up police protection.

He said: "Those who confuse the Palestinian cause and the justification of terrorism commit a strong moral, political and strategic error."