What Happened Next: The Evening The Activist Group Projected Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for the former president's upcoming official trip, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
Activists created a nine-minute film exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in documents related to the criminal probe into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here within Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and repeatedly refuted any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)
The Setup
The group had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.
The world’s media had gathered, staring at the castle, becoming bored awaiting Trump's arrival. The film, however, gained traction globally. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I doubt that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made gives people a social object to share, saying: ‘There’s something really serious to examine here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen by millions.”
The Moment of Projection
The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower requires some technical calibration,” Stewart states. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. Officers are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock passed through the officers around me, and they raced into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the hotel where the then-president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.
The Arrests
But, the group's creators were not especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy is channelled into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police arrive, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and caps. They had located some protesters. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no firearms. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this really calm.’”
Delaying a large number of police officers for six minutes. It helped that they were unsure under what law to charge anyone. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer started reading a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three other team members were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a stalking law. “The law is precise: its purpose is to address a serious offence. To throw it at a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later that night, while the activists were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, this time 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 that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “They asked, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew what was coming: a picture of a large projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the officers were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”
The Final Result
Just over one month later, every charge was dismissed.
