Hoyt Hutchinson Stabbed 8-Foot Hole Into ‘Baby Trump’ Balloon Outside Alabama-LSU Game, Police Say
A man named Hoyt Hutchinson was arrested after police say he stabbed an eight-foot hole into the now-famous “Baby Trump” protest balloon outside the Alabama-LSU game on Saturday.
The balloon was created by a critic of Donald Trump and has followed the president around the world to be included in protests. The inflatable, which shows Trump as a baby wearing a diaper and holding a cell phone, was brought to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday for Trump’s appearance at the college football game, but did not leave unscathed.
As the Alabama news site reported, someone attacked the balloon with a large knife shortly before kickoff, when Trump was inside Bryant-Denny Stadium watching one of the most highly anticipated games this season. The attack reportedly left an eight-foot gash in the balloon.
The act of vandalism took place during a small protest outside the stadium, where close to three dozen people gathered with signs calling for Trump’s impeachment. Trump had announced earlier in the week that he was planning to attend the game, with some groups gearing up to protest.
President Trump had been met with some very vocal protests at sporting events in recent weeks, drawing deafening boos as he attended Game 5 of the World Series in Washington, D.C., and later drawing more jeers at UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden.
As The Inquisitr noted, Trump drew a mixed response at Saturday’s game, with some fans cheering and chanting when he was announced and others booing the president. There were no significant protests during Saturday’s game.
The attack on the “Baby Trump” balloon in Alabama appeared to have been premeditated, with a man identifying himself as Hutchinson posting a livestream video post on social media beforehand saying he was “going down here to make a scene” and telling people to watch the news. The person said he was going to attack the “Baby Trump” balloon as a protest.
“I’m shaking I’m so mad right now. I’m fixin’ to pop this balloon,” the man said. “Stay tuned. It should be interesting.”
As the Tuscaloosa News reported, the 32-year-old man was charged with felony first-degree mischief for using a knife to attack the 20-foot-high, 13-foot-wide balloon. The report noted that Hutchinson bonded out of jail and was able to watch the second half of the game.
As The Associated Press reported, shortly after the arrest, a GoFundMe page organized by Hoyt Hutchinson asked for funding to support a legal defense.
