The Aftermath: The Evening The Activist Group Projected Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When the announcement was made for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, including a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass unprotested. The act of offering a lavish welcome seemed particularly craven. Their next creative protest proceeded like clockwork.
A Deliberate Message
Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. His name is said to be referenced, repeatedly, in documents related to the investigation into that individual … Now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s first arrest and has consistently denied all allegations in relation to Epstein.)
The Setup
The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, atop a public rubbish bin outside.
International press had gathered, staring at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. Their film, gained traction everywhere. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary gives people something tangible to share, saying: ‘There’s something significant to look at here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.”
The Reveal
It started with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building needs some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “First appeared this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the police in fluorescent jackets around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first action against Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee.
The Arrests
However, the activists were not especially worried about detainment. “My nervous energy goes into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “Once the police make the intervention, the die is cast.” The police response was rapid, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing jumpsuits and caps. They had located the culprits. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission 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.’”
Stalling a large number of police officers for six minutes. It helped that they didn’t know which law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman began reciting a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three other team members were subsequently detained for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: it’s designed to address a really concerning offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Some time 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, deeming it more likely to succeed. When they came to be questioned, the only officers available belonged to the child protection squad – a twist which was palpable, given the focus of the protest involved alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you take 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 knew the next move: an image of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. At that point, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.”
The Outcome
A little more than one month later, all charges was dismissed.
