Donald Trump baby blimp flies over Dublin for protest as US President returns to Ireland following D-Day commemorations
THE Donald Trump baby blimp was launched over Dublin this evening - towering over the Garden of Remembrance as anti-Trump protests kicked off.
The six-metre high orange blimp depicting the US President as a cry baby in a nappy was inflated at Parnell Square from 6pm.
The protest, understood to be the largest during his visit to Ireland, was organised by civil society organisations, political parties and campaign groups.
Several thousand people reportedly took part in the protest which saw those gathered march down O'Connell Street.
An anti-Trump protest also took place in Co Clare yesterday evening shortly after the US president and his wife First Lady Melania touched down in Shannon Airport.
Lead organiser Shea Flanagan told The Irish Times: “We want to send a message to the world that Trump is not welcome in Ireland — his politics of hate, fear and division affect the lives of real people.
“The blimp is a fun symbol for serious work, to come together and fight for progressive politics.”
The giant orange inflatable which was made famous in London last summer cost a whopping €10,000 which was raised through crowd-funding earlier this year.
It has already made appearances throughout UK cities this week including London and Portsmouth and has now been transported over to Dublin.
Organisers of the event received special permission from the Irish Aviation Authority to fly the blimp.
Two weeks ago, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the US president is welcome in Ireland but protest “is allowed and is welcome” too.
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President Donald Trump and wife Melania arrived in Shannon Airport yesterday at 4.40pm for their first official Irish visit where they were greeted by the Taoiseach as they exited Air Force One.
Varadkar said he explained the Irish border issue to Trump – after the US President compared the post-Brexit Irish border to his planned wall for the US border with Mexico.
The US president and his wife departed from Shannon Airport this morning for France for D-Day commemorations.
