Protesters Plan To Fly Sadiq Khan Blimp In Same Spot That ‘Trump Baby’ Was Flown During US President’s Visit

In July 2018, a giant air balloon of current United States President Donald Trump, where he was depicted as an orange, crying baby wearing a diaper and clutching a smartphone, was flown over London during his official visit to the UK. It was created and flown in protest of many of Trump’s actions, politics, and statements. More than 100,000 protesters attended the balloon’s launch and subsequent flight over the city, with a sister protest in Edinburgh boasting 50,000 additional protesters. The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, gave final approval for the giant balloon to be flown during Trump’s visit in support of the right to free speech. Because of the balloon, Trump canceled his stop in London.

“I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London,” Trump had said of his decision. Trump then went on to bash Khan in an interview with The Sun.

#TrumpBaby just gave @realDonaldTrump the welcome he deserves.

“I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London." pic.twitter.com/LoakgcaXai

— Trump Baby (@TrumpBabyUK) July 13, 2018

Now, in counter-protest to the Trump balloon, protesters against Khan are campaigning to raise funds for a Sadiq Khan balloon to fly above Parliament Square in Westminster in London on September 1.

“In light of the Donald Trump ‘Baby Trump’ ballo[o]n being allowed to fly over London during his visit to the U.K., let’s get a ‘baby Khan’ one and see if FREE SPEECH applies to all and whether or not Mr Khan and the London assembly will also approve this,” the campaign description reads. “Under Sadiq Khan, we have seen crime sky rocket to unprecedented levels. People in London don’t feel safe and they aren’t safe, 81 murders this year alone….!”

The Khan balloon measures up at 29 feet and will feature Khan dressed in a yellow bikini. This is a throwback to the mayor’s decision to ban a controversial series of ads for a weight loss supplement that featured a woman in a yellow bikini asking, “Are you beach body ready?” in 2016. According to the BBC, Khan argued that the advertisement promoted “unhealthy or unrealistic body images.”

Khan has taken news of the balloon in stead as protesters received the okay to fly the balloon today.

“If people want to spend their Saturday looking at me in a yellow bikini they’re welcome to do so,” Khan told the BBC. “I don’t really think yellow’s my colour though.”

So far, the campaign has raised just under £59,000, or just under $77,000, which is around 78 percent of its overall fundraising goal.