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Giant Trump Chicken coming to Philly for Tax Day

On April 15, if all goes well and the shipment from China arrives on time, a 10-foot tall chicken that looks like President Donald J. Trump will be paraded down Market Street in the bed of a pickup truck.

Philly will be one of the 100-plus cities in the country hosting marches on Tax Day to "demand that Donald Trump release his tax returns," organizers say. They say they expect thousands to attend.

Back to the chicken, born not from an egg, but from a mall owner in Taiyuan, in China's northern Shanxi Province. The original, a 32-foot tall rooster, features a golden coxcomb that resembles Trump's own. Its feathers are sewn into the hand gestures Trump makes when saying things like "Yuge" and "the best."

According to CNN, the rooster was such a hit that the manufacturer began producing a whole brood in various sizes. Gwen Snyder,  a coordinator for the Philadelphia march, said the San Francisco demonstration was the first to suggest bringing the chickens to the U.S. as a funny way to call Trump "chicken" for not releasing his income taxes.

"At first, when San Francisco started running with it, I thought 'Oh this is ridiculous,'" Snyder said. "But then I thought, 'Donald Trump is ridiculous and this is just the kind of thing that will bother him.' "

"I'm not an expert on inflatable chickens, but we're hoping it will fit in the back of a pickup truck," she said.

Snyder said the tax marches would have purchased an American-made chicken if one were available. "We would buy American, union-made but this is a Chinese-only manufacture just like most of what Trump manufactures himself," she said.

Gerald Ford is the only other major-party presidential nominee beside Trump who didn't release tax returns in the last 40 years, Snyder said. Trump and his staffers said the public didn't care, citing his win as proof, but several national polls have proven otherwise.

The march begins at 10 a.m. at Thomas Paine Plaza at 15th and Market Streets. For more information, visit www.taxmarchphilly.org.

On April 15, if all goes well and the shipment from China arrives on time, a 10-foot tall chicken that looks like President Donald J. Trump will be paraded down Market Street in the bed of a pick-up truck.

Philly will be one of the 100-plus cities in the country hosting marches on tax day to "demand that Donald Trump release his tax returns," organizers say. Thousands are expected to attend.

But back to the chicken, born not from an egg, but a mall owner in Taiyuan, in China's northern Shanxi Province. The 32-foot tall rooster features a golden coxcomb that resembled Trump's own. It's feathers are sewn into permanent Trump-like hand gestures he makes when saying things like "Yuge" and "the best."

According to a CNN article from December, the rooster was such a hit that the manufacturer began producing a whole brood in various sizes. Gwen Snyder,  a coordinator for the Philadelphia march, said the San Francisco march was the first to suggest bringing the chickens to the U.S. as a funny way to call Trump "chicken" for not releasing his income taxes.

"At first, when San Francisco started running with it, I thought 'oh this is ridiculous,'" Snyder said. "But then I thought, Donald Trump is ridiculous and this is just the kind of thing that will bother him."

Snyder said Philly is getting a 10-foot-tall chicken that cost about $400, purchased through fundraising. They are also trying to raise money to get a stage to showcase their prize bird.

"I'm not an expert on inflatable chickens but we're hoping it will fit in the back of a pickup truck," she said.

Snyder said the tax marches would have purchased an American-made chicken if one were available.

"We would buy American, union-made but this is a Chinese-only manufacture just like most of what Trump manufcactures himseld," she said.

Snyder said the recent release of Trump's 2005 taxes, showing he paid about $38 million in federal income taxes on $150 million in income, were likely leaked by the president himself. The taxes also revealed he paid a tax rate of 25 percent, about 10 percent below the top tax bracket at the time.

"We need to see the rest," she said.

Gerald Ford is the only other major-party presidential nominee beside Trump who didn't release tax returns in the last 40 years. Trump and his staffers said the public didn't care, citing his win as proof, but several national polls have proven otherwise.  

The march begins at 10 a.m. at Thomas Paine Plaza at 15th and Market. For more information, visit www.taxmarchphilly.org.