President Donald Trump was showered in Southern hospitality, receiving overwhelming support and cheers from college football fans Saturday at the Alabama-Louisiana State game. Supporters of the president also slashed a “Baby Trump” balloon at a protest outside the game.
The response was markedly different than the boos heard during Game 5 of the World Series in Washington and the more mixed support during an appearance at a UFC mixed martial arts fight in New York.
Trump sat on a tier above the field and waved as fans shouted “USA.” He smiled, gave a thumbs-up a few times and threw a couple of fist bumps into the air. Alabama fans waved red and white pompoms in response. First lady Melania Trump got an equally enthusiastic welcome.
A protest group outside the game was deflated after a Trump supporter slashed an 8-foot gash into the "Baby Trump" balloon outside the game just after kickoff, WBMA reported.
Hoyt Hutchinson was arrested and charged with felony criminal mischief. He was released on $2,500 bond. He started a GoFundMe account to help raise money for restitution to repair the balloon. Volunteers had raised more than $4,000 to bring the balloon to the protest.
Hutchinson reportedly livestreamed the attack on the balloon, AL.com reported.
"(I'm) going down here to make a scene...y'all watch the news...I'm shaking I'm so mad right now," Hutchinson said on social media, AL.com reported. "I'm fixin' to pop this balloon. Stay tuned. It should be interesting."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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