What Happened Next: The Evening The Activist Group Beamed Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for the former president's second state visit, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go unprotested. The act of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event unfolded with precision.
A Deliberate Message
Activists created a short documentary exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The commander-in-chief of the United States is alleged to have been a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous sex offender. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in documents from the investigation into Epstein … And now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations concerning Epstein.)
The Setup
The group had booked rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a wireless 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 spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary gives people a social object to share, saying: ‘This is something significant to look at here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.”
The Moment of Projection
The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower needs some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “First appeared this royal crest. The police are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein appears. This electric jolt goes through the officers around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
It wasn't their inaugural action; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the resort where the president was staying in Scotland. The following year, police visited him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee.
Confrontation with Police
But, the group's creators were not especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” Officers was swift, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing jumpsuits and caps. They had located the culprits. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to safeguard the guest. Thankfully, no guns. But they were very adrenalised upon entering the room. I told them: ‘Let’s keep this really calm.’”
Delaying multiple police officers for six minutes. It helped that officers didn’t know under what law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “one officer began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three other activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: it’s designed to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later that night, while the activists sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, this time for public nuisance, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available 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 all queries with: “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.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: a picture of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to several drawers. At that point, the detectives struggled to keep a straight face.”
The Outcome
A little more than one month later, all charges was dismissed.
