Activists in London unveiled a six-meter high balloon portraying Donald Trump as an orange baby in diaper, ahead of the US president’s upcoming trip to United Kingdom on July 13. The visit is expected to draw huge crowds in protests. British environmentalist Leo Murray, 41, who came up with the idea to make the balloon told the Times, “This is how the world sees him. This is what we tried to do here, encapsulate in a very simple graphic metaphor, what the world understands Donald Trump to be.”
The Trump baby balloon is currently grounded in the city, but the activists behind it are crowdfunding donations to fly the balloon over central London when Trump makes his first official visit to the UK. With just 14 days left, 770 supporters have raised more than 10,000 pounds and counting. The group has raised money to have the six-metre high blimp made by professional inflatables company, to be flown in the skies over Parliament Square during Trump’s visit.
Murray told Times, “We’re hoping the extra money is going to allow Baby Trump to go on tour, to visit the United States but also other assorted locations around the world where Donald Trump may be going. Hopefully Baby Trump is going to start haunting him, following him around.” But they also expressed fear that Baby Trump might become a target, saying Twitter trolls had already threatened to shoot the balloon down. “This is not a protest against America or Americans. This is a protest against what Donald Trump is turning America into,” Murray added.
Prime Minister Theresa May was the first world leader to invite Trump on a state visit after his inauguration in 2017. But plans for a formal visit were shelved after lawmakers and over a million Brits objected in a petition. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in response that Trump had ‘got the message’ that Londoners were hostile to his policies and opposed him coming to the capital. His itinerary remains confidential, although he will reportedly meet the Queen and Theresa May.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 27, 2018 09:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).