The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has ramped-up his war of words with Donald Trump in anticipation of the president's historic visit to the U.K. on July 13th. Not content with expressing his own animosity, he has decided to humiliate the nation by allowing a hideous “angry Trump baby” blimp to be flown over Parliament Square whilst the visit takes place.
The British people are cringing at what many see as little more than petty rudeness on behalf of the mayor directed at the leader of their greatest ally.
The Origins
The six-meter inflatable was allegedly paid for through crowdsourcing and cost around £16,000 ($21,000). It will be flown from its grounding point in Parliament Square between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Friday morning to coincide both with Trump’s visit and an anti-Trump protest.
The man behind this “protest,” Leo Murray and his group of self-described anti-fascist "art activists" describes the blimp as an "obscene mutant clone of the president" and says it will "hold up a huge mirror of truth" to the world.
After initially facing law enforcement resistance to the project, the group cites a “groundswell of public support” in changing the mind of the police and national air traffic service. However, many people on social media suspect that it was Mayor Khan’s hand that tilted the scale in its favor as he stepped in to give the final go-ahead.
Humiliating for whom?
This is an attempt to humiliate President Trump, nothing more. But it does not. It humiliates Britain and the British people who once had a world-renowned reputation for politeness.
While the radical leftists cheer on this demonstration, they seem blind to the potential damage it could cause to the "Special Relationship." As Mr. Brexit himself, Nigel Farage, pointed out: if you wished to do business with a company, you wouldn’t begin talks by mocking the CEO.
The point is that the U.K. does need the U.S. as a trading partner, as an ally in military and intelligence affairs, and as a friend in a sea of enemies who would be only too happy to see Britain fail as it leaves the European Union.
The Backlash
Despite the prominence being given in the media to the blimp and the anti-Trump protest, there are still many Britons who are excited about this visit.
There will be a pro-Trump march taking place on the 14th with thousands of attendees that concludes with a rally and guest speakers outside the American embassy. There will be smaller rallies held around the country that follow the theme of Make Britain Great Again.
Many have called for Khan’s resignation over this stunt, including EU Parliamentarians.
Free Speech?
The left is claiming that those who oppose this publicity stunt are enemies of free speech, which is quite an unusual charge to be levied by those who have sought to intimidate and no-platform conservatives by using violence. And in many ways, it is a free speech issue. But this spectacle insults and humiliates millions of Britons against their will.
To be humiliated on the world stage by the actions of a few spiteful, childish idiots is not OK. The British people will not attempt to stop the display, nor shut down the organizers because we do believe in free speech. But it is also our right to call the left out on their appalling behavior and declare loudly and clearly that this event does not represent us or how we feel about the U.S. president.
Mr. President, the real people of the United Kingdom welcome you.
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