Malian immigrant scales building to rescue child dangling from Paris balcony

An illegal immigrant from Mali scaled the facade of a Paris apartment block on Saturday (May 26) to save a boy dangling from a fourth-floor balcony.

Video showed Mamoudou Gassama, 22, risking his life as he climbed up the balconies to rescue the four-year-old who was clinging to a railing and glancing at the ground below, while horrified onlookers watched.

The video went viral and Gassama, who has been nicknamed "Spider-Man" for reaching the boy in time, was swiftly granted citizenship during a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Monday (May 28).

Macron congratulated Gassama for "an exceptional act" and said France will give him residence papers and a job in the emergency services.

Ministers said the citizenship process would be sped up, although Gassama can't legally be granted it right away.

The boy's father was arrested and told police he had left his son alone to go shopping and returned home later than planned because he was playing Pokemon Go, an enhanced reality game, on his smartphone.