‘Baby Trump’ flies high in protest of president’s Bay Area visit despite FAA ban
PALO ALTO — President Trump on Tuesday was greeted with protests -- and a “baby Trump” balloon -- on his visit to the Bay Area.
Police cars and motorcycles from San Mateo County lined Alpine Drive from Interstate 280 west into Portola Valley.
A protest by about 200 people took place at Rossotti Field, adjacent to Rossotti’s Alpine Inn, a Stanford University and Palo Alto-area institution.
Members of the Raging Grannies, the Backbone Campaign and Vigil for Democracy lined the southern side of Alpine Road with signs calling for impeachment.
A balloon depicting an orange infant-like Trump in diapers was floated over the parking lot, in sight of the road and hilltop estate where Trump’s fundraising luncheon is being held.
The balloon was flown despite a temporary Federal Aviation Administration restriction issued last week banning “balloon operations” and other flying objects — airplanes, gliders and model rockets — in the area.
“We’re kind of wondering if they’re targeting us,” William Johnson of the Backbone Campaign, which brought the balloon, said of the FAA restriction.
The FAA issued the VIP flight restriction Saturday, prohibiting planes, gliders, parachute operations, hang gliding, banner towing and “balloon operations” in a 32-mile radius around Palo Alto.
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