November 13, 2015: Three terrorists storm the Paris Bataclan Theater during a concert by the US rock band “Eagles of Death Metal”. They fire into the crowd with machine guns and throw hand grenades. 1500 visitors are in the sold out hall. The band is currently playing the song “Kiss The Devil”.
Noumouké Sidibé: “Since I know the Bataclan very well, having worked there for over 15 years, I also know all the hidden corners and secret routes. I met a couple of the hostages in the stairwell. At that moment I was the only security guard there. I had to stay cool, even though I was terrified inside. I pulled myself together and tried to help as many people as possible. “
Noumouké Sidibé is the head of the security team. His quick-witted reaction saves many lives. Sidibé succeeds in pulling a foldable fire escape from the ceiling to the left of the stage. He and his colleagues heave around 50 visitors onto the roof and thus to safety. The Bataclan is just one of six crime scenes. On that bloody Friday evening, 130 people died in Paris and more than 500 were injured.
Noumouké Sidibé: “The waiting, the crowd, the screams, the crying, the dead, the blood. Family. People cannot imagine the extent of the violence. I do not wish anyone to experience anything like that. It was just a question seconds, a question of luck. It was just luck. You realize that every day. “
Noumouké Sidibé survived unharmed. Just a few days later, he was celebrated as the hero of Bataclan.
Noumouké Sidibé: “To be celebrated as a hero with so many dead – that is nothing worth striving for. That is not what I wanted. I was proud and at the same time disappointed because there were so many dead. Although I could not have done more.”
The memory of the 90 dead and 99 injured in the Bataclan shapes his life to this day.
Noumouké Sidibé: “I think of mothers who bought their children the tickets. Who went to the concert and didn’t return. Everyone should be aware of this and put themselves in these people’s shoes for a moment. They go out on Friday evenings, they go to a concert, they give their children concert tickets for their birthday. And then something like that happens. It’s unimaginable. “
How did you feel after the attack?
Noumouké Sidibé: “It was very difficult for me to rebuild afterwards and the process is not over yet. But you have to at least try to keep living. Although that is not the whole truth. I think about this evening every day.
People assume that security guards are tall, sturdy, and strong. But this is not about muscles, it is about what’s going on inside. We were in the dark, in the darkness of the concert hall, where a terrible attack was carried out. You are always catapulted into this situation. Some colleagues wanted to come back to work after a week. A day later they called in sick because they couldn’t. Logic keeps telling you, I keep telling myself: everything will be fine, everything will be fine, everything will be fine. On the first day you are of course in shock. But the shock doesn’t go away even after two or three days. You are afraid to leave the house. You are scared of going to work. I couldn’t even bear to see my uniform. It was so violent. I’m a pretty tough guy. I am very strong inside. I know that. But that doesn’t help. No … It was too … It was horror. “
Noumouké Sidibé is still unable to work today. The 41-year-old is honorary president of a football club in Choisy-le-Roi, the Paris suburb where he grew up. He wants to help disadvantaged young people to get a good start in life.
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