The Aftermath: The Evening The Activist Group Projected Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys was determined to ensure it did not go unprotested. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their next creative protest unfolded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
Activists created a nine-minute film exploring the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous sex offender. He’s alleged to be mentioned, repeatedly, in the files related to the investigation into that individual … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and repeatedly refuted all allegations concerning Epstein.)
Preparations and Execution
The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, according to group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed 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 as Trump was delayed. Their film, gained traction globally. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I doubt that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary provides viewers something tangible to share, saying: ‘This is something really serious to examine here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen by millions.”
The Reveal
The film began with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. The police are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock passed through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and the police raced into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
This was not their inaugural action; it wasn’t even their first effort targeting Trump. Back in 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider near the hotel where the president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.
The Arrests
However, the group's creators were not overly concerned about detainment. “My nervous energy goes into ensuring the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police arrive, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, reaching the hotel within three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and baseball caps. They had located some protesters. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission to protect the president. Thankfully, no guns. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I told them: ‘We should keep this really calm.’”
Delaying multiple police officers for six minutes. The fact that they were unsure under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “a policeman started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: it’s designed to deal with a serious offence. Applying it to an act 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, contacting legal counsel.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later in the middle of the night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, now for causing a public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators belonged to the child protection unit – a twist which was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest involved alleged sex offender. The activists responded to every question with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, the officers slid over a photograph: “They asked, did you remove the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: a picture of a giant projector, secured to four drawers. At that point, the detectives were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”
The Outcome
Just over one month later, all charges was dismissed.
