Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
Nigel Farage really isn’t happy about the ‘baby Trump’ blimp. Ah well.
A crowdfunding campaign successfully raised over £22,000 to fly a six-foot-high ‘baby Trump’ blimp over London when Donald Trump visits the UK. On 5 July, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan gave permission for the blimp to fly “close” to parliament on Friday 13 July. And Nigel Farage really isn’t happy about this.
Lots of people disagree and think the blimp is the perfect response to Trump’s visit. They’ve taken to social media to tell him this.
‘Baby Trump’ blimp
Over 157,000 people have expressed interest in a major protest against Trump’s visit. So there’s a lot of support for the ‘baby Trump’ blimp. But Farage is really quite upset:
Sadiq Khan has allowed an inflatable “Trump baby” blimp to fly in London. This is the biggest insult to a sitting US President ever. https://t.co/4IRVlG7Gz6
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 5, 2018
Read on...
Sorry, Nigey, but lots of people think the blimp is just perfect.
Cry, baby. Cry, baby.
As the blimp’s creators said, the blimp is actually meant to be an insult:
This British guy who looks kind of like a frog, whoever he is, is very very smart. I am the BIGGEST and GREATEST insult to a sitting US President ever, there has never been a better or more talented insult than me. Thank you! https://t.co/XqRp6QlQ7z
— Trump Baby (@TrumpBabyUK) July 5, 2018
According to Leo Murray, creating the blimp was “a vital civic duty”:
I wrote a thing about the conception and birth of @TrumpBabyUK and why being rude to visiting fascists is not some sort of faux pas but a vital civic dutyhttps://t.co/bHYrJSW3k8
— Leo Murray (@crisortunity) July 5, 2018
As Murray explained:
To really get through to Trump, you have to get down on his level and talk to him in a language he understands: personal insults.
And lots of people – including Labour MP David Lammy – agreed:
For a US President who retweets far-right Britain First propaganda, insults Londoners at times of tragedy, and refuses to condemn white supremacist marches at home, this insult is well deserved #StopTrump https://t.co/argb5z9TBo
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 6, 2018
The sitting US President is the biggest insult to the world ever, so it's a rather measured response.
— ᴄʏʙᴏʀɢ K9 🌹🀄 (@cyborgk9) July 6, 2018
Others, meanwhile, pointed out the similarities between Farage and Trump:
Perhaps it should fly alongside one these? Both of you have the same sick attitude towards immigrants! pic.twitter.com/JG5rMZFPqM
— Dave Latham #FBPE (@DaveL1953) July 6, 2018
Some suggested that Farage really should listen to the “will of the people”:
Mr. FROMAGE, It was crowdfunded, so I am GUESSING it's "the will of the people" and you should never go against the will of the people, right? Maybe we should crowdfund a second balloon for a baby Farage sucking mama Trump's tits. But that would be giving you too much importance.
— Bruno (@brunomiguelUK) July 6, 2018
But let’s not forget that Farage isn’t afraid to insult US presidents either. In 2016, he called Barack Obama a “loathsome creature”.
Peaceful protest
A spokesperson for Sadiq Khan said:
The Mayor supports the right to peaceful protest and understands that this can take many different forms. His city operations team have met with the organizers and have given them permission to use Parliament Square Garden as a grounding point for the blimp.
The protests against Trump do pose other questions. As some people have noticed, Khan failed to speak out when Saudi Arabia‘s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman came to London:
Nothing from Sadiq Khan when the Saudi Prince visited in March this year. Chemical attacks in Yemen, appalling human rights and killing homosexuals. It's fashionable to hate Trump and will probably get him another run at Mayor.
— Stuart Miller (@gurtmilner1) July 6, 2018
Thousands will protest against Trump on 13 July. And because it also upset Farage, it’s likely that the Baby Trump blimp will get an even bigger cheer when it flies.
Get Involved!
– Join the protests when Trump visits the UK.
– Join The Canary so we can keep holding the powerful to account.
Featured images via Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia and screengrab
We need your help to keep speaking the truth
Every story that you have come to us with; each injustice you have asked us to investigate; every campaign we have fought; each of your unheard voices we amplified; we do this for you. We are making a difference on your behalf.
Our fight is your fight. You’ve supported our collective struggle every time you gave us a like; and every time you shared our work across social media. Now we need you to support us with a monthly donation.
We have published nearly 2,000 articles and over 50 films in 2021. And we want to do this and more in 2022 but we don’t have enough money to go on at this pace. So, if you value our work and want us to continue then please join us and be part of The Canary family.
In return, you get:
* Advert free reading experience
* Quarterly group video call with the Editor-in-Chief
* Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
* 20% discount in our shop
Almost all of our spending goes to the people who make The Canary’s content. So your contribution directly supports our writers and enables us to continue to do what we do: speaking truth, powered by you. We have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence our vital opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right-wing mainstream media.
With your help we can continue:
* Holding political and state power to account
* Advocating for the people the system marginalises
* Being a media outlet that upholds the highest standards
* Campaigning on the issues others won’t
* Putting your lives central to everything we do
We are a drop of truth in an ocean of deceit. But we can’t do this without your support. So please, can you help us continue the fight?
Support us 
