22-year old Mamoudou Gassama from Mali leaves the presidential Elysée Palace | Thibault Camus/AFP via Getty Images Emmanuel Macron promises ‘Spiderman of Paris’ French citizenship Malian Mamoudou Gassama saved a child dangling from a building in Paris.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that a Malian migrant would be given French citizenship after climbing a building to save a child's life in Paris.

Videos on social media show Mamoudou Gassama climbing four stories by pulling himself from balcony to balcony in order to rescue the 4-year-old, who had been left unattended, according to the BBC.

The rescue took place Saturday evening in the north of Paris and the following day an online petition was started calling for the Malian to be granted legal status. The petition gathered approximately 6,000 signatures by Monday morning, according to Franceinfo.

Nicknamed "Spiderman" on social media, Gassama arrived in Paris a few months ago with the hopes of securing French residency.

In a press conference at the Elysée Palace, Macron called it "an exceptional act, an act of heroism." He gave Gassama a medal and a certificate in honor of his bravery. The French president added that Gassama would also be offered a job with the French fire brigade.

Gassama said in the press conference with Macron that he "did not think" when he acted to save the child and that "God had helped" him.

Macron's decision was criticized by National Front politicians. The far-right party's vice president, Nicolas Bay, tweeted "those who demand the regularization of #MamoudouGassama are those who demand the regularization of all illegals." Bay added that before making such "acts of generosity," the country should sort out its migration problem.

Macron emphasized the offer of citizenship was an exception. Only five naturalizations for "exceptional talent" or "service to the community" were given out in 2017, according to the French interior ministry.

"We can not give [papers] to all those who come from Mali, from Burkina. When they are in danger, we give asylum, but not for economic reasons," the president told Gassama.