Pearl Jam Use Trump Baby Balloon at London Show
The Donald Trump baby balloon designed to protest the president’s visit to the U.K. last week flew outside the London O2 during Pearl Jam’s visit there yesterday.
NME reports that the band had given permission for the 20-foot-tall helium-filled balloon to be stationed in the air above the venue. During the show, frontman Eddie Vedder once again commented on Trump. “He’s actually bringing people together in a great way," he said. "When you get 250,000 protesters of all ages, cultures, different sexual orientations … you know, maybe he’s united people in a way that could be needed in the near future.”
He went on to read some of the anti-Trump posters seen in the audience. He also observed that, during Pearl Jam's six-week European tour that concluded last night, the band hadn’t felt any animosity toward them or their county.
You can watch a video of last night's speech below.
The balloon was paid for via a crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $45,000 to have it built. After Trump admitted it had made him feel “unwelcome,” mastermind Leo Murray told the Washington Post, “It’s worked spectacularly well. We’ve basically run him out of London. … If people are mocking you for being a big angry baby, possibly the best retort is not to throw your toys out of the pram.”
The balloon is set to fly in the U.S. after another successful public fundraising campaign to pay for its transport. After it reached its $4,500 goal in 22 hours, organizers wrote that they have "exceeded [the] goal to purchase our Baby Trump from the U.K.. Unfortunately, the U.S. company we reached out to would not make it. … All of the funds collected are being deposited in a dedicated account to cover future shipping fees while on tour, publicity, gear and other Baby Trump stuff. Maybe a crib in the shape of the White House. We are the unpaid Resistance.”