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Man Who Slashed “Baby Trump Balloon” Out On Bond After Being Charged With Felony


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Yesterday, 32-year old Alabama man Hoyt Hutchinson brought a disrespectful “Baby Trump” balloon flown in protest of President Trump and Melania’s attendance to an Alabama-LSU game down to the ground after stabbing it with a knife.

Hutchinson was arrested, brought into custody, and subsequently charged with felony criminal mischief following the incident.

Videos of the aftermath of Hoyt popping the balloon and being loaded into a cop  quickly made their way onto Twitter:

Hutchinson is now free and out on a $2,500 bond - and, while we don't support violence, the GoFundMe page he set up to raise funds for restitution of the balloon certainly sends a message (he's now raised over $35K of his $6K goal).

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Alhas more to say:

A protest against the president at Tuscaloosa’s Monnish Park ended abruptly after a man slashed a large “Baby Trump” balloon.

Witnesses said the incident happened shortly before kickoff of the Alabama-LSU game. President Donald Trump attended the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“Officers observed Hoyt Deau Hutchinson, age 32 of Tuscaloosa, AL, cut into the “Baby Trump” balloon, and then attempted (sic) to flee the area. Officers apprehended the suspect and took him into custody on a charge of Criminal Mischief First Degree. Hoyt was transported to Tuscaloosa County Jail where he was held on a $2,500 bond,” a statement from Tuscaloosa police read.

Hutchinson posted a video on Facebook shortly before the incident, saying he was “going down here to make a scene...y’all watch the news....I’m shaking I’m so mad right now. I’m fixin’ to pop this balloon. Stay tuned. It should be interesting."

Attempts to reach Hutchinson through social media were not immediately successful.

Jim Girvan, an organizer of the balloon protests, told the Associated Press Hutchinson charged the balloon with a knife and cut an 8-foot-long (2.4-meter-long) gash in the back.

A GoFundMe pageorganized by Hutchinson asks for money for restitution for the balloon, saying he was charged with “felony criminal mischief after deflation of the disrespectful baby trump balloon. Hoyt made sure our beloved president didn’t have to see this disrespectful balloon on the streets of Ttown today!!”

In 14 hours, it had raised more than $16,000, surpassing its goal of $6,000.

After he was released on bond, Hutchinson posted another Facebook video, with the game playing on a TV behind him as people cheered and laughed.

“Some liberals tried to come to my hometown and start some trouble. That ain’t happening,” Hutchinson said in that video. “I did get arrested. I got charged. That’s all right. I’d do it again given the opportunity.”

The Washington Post also said:

A man who slashed open a giant “Baby Trump” balloon with a knife during the president’s trip Saturday to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the Alabama-Louisiana State football game was free on bond Sunday, saying in a video that he’d “do it again if given the opportunity.”

A group protesting President Trump’s visit set up the 20-foot inflatable caricature in a park near Bryant-Denny Stadium ahead of the match between the top-ranked college teams. It was looming among the crowds outside when someone ran up and cut an eight-foot gash in the side, organizers said.

Police identifiedthe suspect as 32-year-old Hoyt Hutchinson of Tuscaloosa. They said officers arrested him after he sliced into the balloon and tried to flee.

Hutchinson was charged with first degree criminal mischief, a felony, and was released on $2,500 bond, according to AL.com. It was not clear if he had retained an attorney. After his release, he posted a Facebook live video, saying as he stood in front of a TV with the game playing: “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.”



 

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