Melbourne ‘Trolley man': Fundraiser for homeless man who tried to stop terror attacker surpasses £65,000

A fundraising campaign for a heroic homeless man who rammed a trolley into a knife attacker lunging a blade at police has raised nearly £70,000.

The GoFundMe for Michael Rogers had a target of $45,000, in Australian dollars, and has since raised $123,570 at time of writing.

Mr Rogers, who became known as “Trolleyman” before his identity was discovered, used a shopping trolley to try and disarm Hassan Khalif Shire Ali on Friday in Melbourne, Australia.

The attacker stabbed three people, killing one, and wielded his blade at police before being shot by authorities in Bourke Street.

Mr Rogers, explaining his actions to Australia’s Channel Seven, said: "I have seen the trolley to the side, so I've picked it up and I ran and threw the trolley straight at him. Got him but didn't get him down.

"And I did that motion about - quite a number of times, but it just wasn't getting him down.”

After the attack, 46-year-old Mr Rogers has been inundated with offers of support, requests for selfies and honoured with tributes at the site of the violence.

In an interview with The Age, he explained his troubled past and how he wished his grandmother had been alive to see his actions.

“She would have been exceptionally proud,” he said, stating that she died in 2013. “God bless her, she lived to 92.”

He reflected on his drug use and being regularly sent to jail over the last two decades.

The founder of the fundraising page, Donna Stolzenberg said her organisation would also help him to find housing and organise trauma support for him to process the events of Friday afternoon.

In a previous update, when the fundraiser first surpassed its goal, she said: "As a person he just deserves it.

"This funding is growing and may grow further.”

An update on the GoFundMe page said: “We’re absolutely blown away by everyone’s generosity and spirit in helping our hero ‘Trolleyman’ get back on his feet.”

Those making donations have praised Mr Rogers for his actions, championing his bravery and stating he “deserves” the help.

Mr Rogers actions came as the attacker set fire to a truck laden with gas cylinders just outside Pellegrini’s café on Bourke street before stabbing three people.

The victim was named locally as 74-year-old Sisto Malaspina, 74.

He was co-owner of Pellegrini’s café.

Police shot Shire Ali after he lunged at officers.

He died of his gunshot injuries in hospital.

Later, authorities confirmed his attack was terror related and the culprit was known to officers.

Police said Shire Ali’s Australian passport was cancelled in 2015.

This was after an intelligence report that he planned to travel to Syria.

However, an assessment was made that while he had radical views he posed no threat to national security.