The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Trump baby blimp to fly over London as funding target met
STATE VISIT: Organisers to fly the blimp at Parliament Square tomorrow
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 tomorrow, the second day of Mr Trump’s UK visit.
The blimp 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 today, with organisers confident this will happen.
The Trump blimp was previously granted permission to fly during Mr 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 yesterday 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.”