Trump baby blimp set to fly over London today

LONDON: A giant inflatable Donald Trump baby blimp is expected to fly over London during the US president’s state visit after its owners reached their fundraising target.

Organisers plan to fly the 20ft blimp above Parliament Square for two hours from 9am on Tuesday, the second day of Trump’s UK visit. The blimp, which can be flown up to 100ft in the air, depicts the US president wearing a nappy and clutching a mobile phone.

A spokesman for the team behind the blimp said they had received permission to deploy the inflatable from the Greater London Authority, headed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and the Civil Aviation Authority. Final sign-off from the Metropolitan Police is expected to be granted on Monday (today), with organisers confident this will happen.

The Trump blimp was previously granted permission to fly during Trump’s visit to the capital last July. This year, the Trump Baby team, which is part of the Stop Trump coalition, said the blimp would only be flown if a crowdfunding target of £30,000 was met to support charities.

Organisers announced the target was reached on Sunday and raised it to £50,000 to give the charities an “even bigger boost”. The Trump Baby team said the money will go to groups in the US and UK “fighting Trump’s policies and their impact on communities”, including in relation to climate change and women’s reproductive rights.

Ajuub Faraji, a Trump blimp “babysitter”, said: “Trump is a dangerous, divisive demagogue and we’re thrilled that the public have put their hands in their pockets to support groups fighting the impacts of his policies.

“Trump will try his best to avoid the public on his trip, but with Trump Baby flying we’re sending a very clear message of solidarity to those affected by his despicable politics — and saying loud and clear that the US president doesn’t deserve the red carpet treatment being given to him by the government.”

On Saturday, the group behind the blimp projected a 50ft image of a baby Trump on to the cliffs at Dover in Kent. Trump’s schedule for Tuesday includes a business breakfast at St James’s Palace with Prime Minister Theresa May and senior business leaders from the US and UK. He will then visit Downing Street, before hosting a dinner at the residence of the US ambassador when he will be joined by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Several protest groups plan to march through London during the three-day visit, with the main demonstration due to convene at Trafalgar Square at 11am on Tuesday.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is the latest to announce its involvement, pledging to protest against Trump’s “nuclear brinkmanship” and “penchant for tearing up nuclear treaties”. General secretary Kate Hudson said: “Yes, Britain must foster good diplomatic relations with all countries, but unfurling the red carpet and hosting a state banquet for a US president like Donald Trump is entirely inappropriate.”