The 29-foot inflatable balloon will take flight on Saturday
Protesters have been allowed permission to fly a 29-foot blimp depicting Sadiq Khan in a bikini in Parliament Square, just over a month after a similar balloon depicting Donald Trump soared above the capital.
Almost £60,000 has been raised to create the effigy as part of a crowdfunding campaign to oust the London mayor from office.
It will be flown between 09.30am and 11:30am this coming Saturday, 1 September, with more than 600 people saying they will be in attendance on an associated Facebook event.
https://twitter.com/YannyBruere/status/1034921212156227584
The stunt has been organised by Yanny Bruere, a self-described “Brit” and “free speech advocate”, who fronts an anti-Khan group called “Make London Safe Again” – a nod to Donald Trump’s campaign slogan “make America great again”.
He told the Daily Mail: “I was just so irritated that Mr Khan took it upon himself to speak on behalf of the UK over the President’s visit.
“Whatever anyone thinks of Mr Trump, he is still leader of the free world and should be accorded the respect of that position, especially at such a critical time for the UK as we face separation from the EU.
“It feels like the Mayor of London prioritises personal enmity over the good of the country.
“He would never have given permission for that balloon if it ridiculed Barack Obama.”
A spokesman for the Mayor of London said: “The City Hall ‘city operations’ team has spoken with the organisers of this balloon and given permission for them to use Parliament Square Garden.
“As always, City Hall has been working in very close coordination with the Metropolitan Police and other key agencies to ensure this protest is able to be carried out in a safe and secure way.”
Back in July, London mayor Sadiq Khan defended the right for a 20-foot “angry baby blimp” depicting president Donald Trump to be flown in Parliament Square during the US leader’s four-day “working visit” to Britain.
Speaking at the time, Khan said: “Can you imagine if we limited free speech because some people’s feelings would be hurt?”
