US President Donald Trump is coming to London next month, and there could be a big surprise for him.
A surprise that's 6 metres in height, actually, in the form of an effigy of the president designed by a group of Brits, which they christened "Trump Baby".
the crowdfunder to make this fly over central London during Trump's visit has, I am not entirely surprised to report, smashed its target https://t.co/QfGRIkbGGc https://t.co/nTj3Tlqw9L
The designers hope to fly the blimp during the president's working visit on 13 July, when he will meet Prime Minister Theresa May.
"Donald Trump is a big, angry baby with a fragile ego and tiny hands," they wrote on their Crowdfunder page, adding that he's also a "racist demagogue" who hates it when people make fun of him.
"So when Trump visits the UK on Friday the 13th of July this year, we want to make sure he knows that all of Britain is looking down on him and laughing at him."
They've smashed their target – almost doubling the £5,000 ($6,600) they aimed for.
There's only one problem: The mayor of London has to give his go-ahead before Trump Baby can begin his epic voyage. And he's saying no.
I am a giant orange baby with tiny hands. I just want to fly above Parliament on July 13th when little Donald visit Britain. But @MayorofLondon says I can’t. Sad! Tell @SadiqKhan to let #TrumpBaby fly! https://t.co/qjbolEge6r
According to the designers, London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared that Trump Baby is not a legitimate protest because it's not "a gathering of people, with banners and placards".
Khan has not been a huge fan of the visit himself. Last year he called for it to be cancelled due to Trump's tweets in the wake of the London Bridge terror attack.
Trump wrote that Khan's response to the attack – that there was "no reason to be alarmed" – was "pathetic".
At the time a City Hall spokesperson said that the mayor "has more important things to do" than respond to the president's tweets.
So, the crowdfunders started a petition to prove Khan wrong.
Incredible! More Fake News - establishment Metro hacks fail to mention @SadiqKhan has already told me I can't Fly! Believe me, there is more going on behind the scenes here...this is a very crooked country. Very Crooked! #trumpbaby must fly! https://t.co/qjbolEge6r https://t.co/i30yRH7U2h
So far it's got more than 5,600 signatures, inching closer to its target of 6,000.
"Their key objection is that flying a large inflatable will occupy a (5x5M) corner of the square which will then not be available for gatherings of people with banners and placards - thereby depriving them of freedom of speech," the organisers wrote on their 38 degrees page.
"So we need to demonstrate that there isn't, in practice, anyone planning to protest Trump's visit who would not in fact welcome a 6m high orange baby with Trump’s malevolent face flying in the sky over Parliament during this period."
If it flies, it will be seen by tens of thousands of people who are expected to march across London to Trafalgar Square in solidarity against the visit.
City Hall told BuzzFeed News that a decision on whether the balloon can fly "will be made in due course".
“A member of the Mayor’s city operations team met with the creators of the blimp to discuss their proposal, and particularly the operational aspect of their application given we are aware that a number of large demonstrations are likely to take place at that time," a spokesperson said.
"The Mayor supports the right to peaceful protests and understands that this can take many different forms. His main priority is the safety of all Londoners and visitors to our city, so we are working in very close coordination with the Metropolitan Police and other key agencies to ensure all protests are carried out in a safe and secure way."
The fate of the Trump Baby blimp lies in the city's hands.
