The Aftermath: The Evening The Activist Group Beamed Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, including a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass unprotested. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed especially servile. Their next creative protest unfolded with precision.
A Provocative Film
The group produced a nine-minute film exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous sex offender. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in documents related to the investigation into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he ended his friendship with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s first arrest and has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)
The Setup
The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, said group founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, on top of a garbage can outside.
International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. The film, however, gained traction globally. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made provides viewers a social object to share, implying: ‘This is something significant to examine here.’ We took a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.”
The Moment of Projection
The film began with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building needs some technical calibration,” Stewart states. “First appeared this royal crest. Officers likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. This electric jolt goes through the police in fluorescent jackets around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
This was not their inaugural action; nor was it their first effort targeting Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee.
The Arrests
But, the activists were not overly concerned about arrest. “My nervous energy goes into wanting the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police arrive, the message is already out.” The police response was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and baseball caps. They had located some protesters. They charged up the stairs; prepared; they were on a mission to safeguard the guest. Fortunately, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I told them: ‘We should keep this really calm.’”
Delaying a large number of police officers for six minutes. The fact that officers were unsure under what law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “one officer started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional team members were then arrested for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to address a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, then soon after was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.
A Second Arrest and Questioning
Some time in the middle of the night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and re-arrested them, now for causing a public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available belonged to the child protection unit – a twist which was palpable, given the focus of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists responded to all queries with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: an image of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. At that point, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.”
The Final Result
A little more than a month later, all charges were dropped.