Alabama man arrested for stabbing, deflating 'Baby Trump' balloon

A fundraising campaign to cover legal costs for a man arrested for slashing open a 'Baby Trump' balloon has topped $36,000 in just one day. The inflatable was being flown by a group of people protesting US President Donald Trump's Sunday visit to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, when local resident Hoyt Hutchinson, 32, ran up and cut an eight-foot slash in the balloon with a knife. Officers arrested him as he attempted to flee and charged him with felony first-degree criminal mischief. He was later bailed on a $2,500 bond. Following his release, Hutchinson posted a Facebook Live video in which he said: 'Some liberals tried to come to my hometown and start some trouble. That ain't happening. I did get arrested. I got charged. That's all right. I'd do it again given the opportunity.” A GoFundMe page set up by someone under the name Hoyt Hutchinson was launched Sunday afternoon with a goal of $6,000 to cover legal fees. 'Hoyt made sure our beloved president didn't have to see this disrespectful balloon on the streets of Ttown [sic] today!!' the campaign blurb read. Within 24 hours, the campaign had topped $36,600. An update to the campaign announced that all proceeds not required for legal fees would be donated to the Trump 2020 campaign. A second GoFundMe page set up by a supporter raised a further $12,900. The Baby Trump balloon was first seen over Parliament Square, London, in July 2018 to protest the president's visit to the UK. Since then, a number of replicas have been made and flown in France, Argentina, Ireland and Denmark. A number of replicas have been made in the US, where they are hired out to protesters around the country by 'babysitters,' volunteers at the Baby Trump Tour website. Anti-Trump protesters had raised $7,882 to bring the balloon to a park near the Bryant-Denny Stadium ahead of the Alabama-LUS football game, with funds in excess of the $4,500 required for the rental being donated to Equal Justice Initiative. Robert Kennedy, a volunteer helping with the balloon, said the day had been going smoothly, with some people shouting 'Trump 2020' as they passed, while others posing for selfies. Then a man approached, attacked the balloon with a knife and it immediately began to sag. The man ran away, but was caught by police officers. In a video posted to Facebook before the event, Hutchinson said: 'I'm shaking, I'm so mad right now... I'm fixing to pop this balloon, without a doubt. Stay tuned. This should be interesting. “I'm going down here to make a scene, so y'all watch the news,” he added. 'This is pathetic. I'm fixing to get rowdy.”

Alabama man arrested for stabbing, deflating 'Baby Trump' balloon

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