Trump supporter who stabbed baby blimp during London protests arrested

Police make five arrests but milkshake incident remains under investigation

One of the "Trump Baby" blimps flown at protests in London against the US president’s visit was attacked by a pro-Trump supporter carrying a sharp object.

A woman approached a group of activists outside the House of Commons and stabbed a mini blimp in the back, according to the team of “babysitters” looking after the balloon.

“A woman … punctured the mini Trump baby replica with a sharp object,” said a spokesman for the group. “It’s not surprising that the far right would want to meet freedom of expression with violence.”

The Donald Trump supporter was led away from the crowd by police officers. A spokesperson for Scotland Yard told The Independent that a woman was initially arrested for possession of a bladed article.

But she was subsequently arrested for criminal damage and will be dealt with for that offence.

The woman has previously protested with the UK "yellow vests" and pro-Brexit groups, and heckled opponents and MPs outside parliament.

In footage broadcast online, the suspect could be heard calling the balloon a "national disgrace", adding: "The president of the United States is the best president ever, shame on you."

She later shared a photograph of a cut finger on Twitter with the caption: "Three stitches for the blimp, worth it!"

Her arrest was one of five made since the start of the state visit.

On Monday, one man was cautioned for possessing class B drugs and another man was arrested for possessing pepper spray, which is banned under firearms laws.

On Tuesday, two men were arrested and fined for urinating on a statue of Winston Churchill.

No arrests have yet been made over an incident where one of Mr Trump's supporters was hit on the head by a milkshake in Parliament Square.

Video footage showed a crowd of demonstrators chanting “Nazi scum” at the man, before he was struck by a drink container and with left milkshake dripping down his forehead.

The mini Trump baby was punctured by a pro-Trump supporter in Westminster (Matt Murphy)

Activists had flown the giant, 20ft high blimp depicting Mr Trump as an angry orange infant in Parliament Square around 9am on Tuesday morning, before inflating a smaller, lighter replica to carry among the crowds this afternoon.

“We’ve had a fantastic day with Baby Trump in front of the world’s media and the president himself,” said a spokesman. “The actual Trump Baby is on his way to Dublin as we speak to be ready to troll Trump on his next destination.”

Mr Trump, in the UK with his family for a three-day state visit, had to drive past the giant baby balloon as he arrived in Whitehall to meet prime minister Theresa May on Tuesday.

The Greater London Authority, headed by the capital’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, gave the green light for the huge inflatable effigy to be flown in protest during the visit.

Campaigner Anna Vickerstaff, one of the blimp organisers, told The Independent: “Our balloon is part of a proud history of political satire in the UK that sends a clear, orange, message to Trump and his politics of hate that they are not welcome here.”

Many attending the protest also took photos of a huge robotic likeness of Mr Trump sitting on a golden toilet. The robot caught the attention with its recitation of “No collusion” and “You are fake news”.

Don Lessem from Philadelphia, who built the statue and had it shipped by boat across the Atlantic, said: “It’s 16 feet high, so it’s as large as his ego.” The dinosaur expert, who makes models of prehistoric creatures, added: ”I’m interested in things that are big, not very intelligent and have lost their place in history.”