What Happened Next: The Night The Activist Group Projected Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for the former president's second state visit, including a Windsor Castle banquet 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 creative protest unfolded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
The group produced a short documentary detailing the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous sex offender. He’s alleged to be mentioned, numerous times, in documents related to the investigation into that individual … And now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s first arrest and has consistently denied all allegations concerning Epstein.)
The Setup
The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, “castle view superior”, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart positioned a Bluetooth speaker, hidden inside a cereal box, on top of a garbage can outside.
International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. The film, however, gained traction globally. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary provides viewers something tangible to share, implying: ‘There’s something significant to examine here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen 20m times.”
The Moment of Projection
It started with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. The police are thinking: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock passed through the officers around me, and they raced into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
This was not the group’s first rodeo; it wasn’t even their first effort targeting Trump. Back in 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider near the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.
The Arrests
But, the group's creators were not overly concerned about detainment. “My nervous energy goes into ensuring the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police arrive, the message is already out.” Officers was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and caps. They had located the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no guns. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this really calm.’”
Stalling a large number of police officers for six minutes. It helped that they were unsure under what law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman started reading a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional team members were subsequently detained for malicious communication, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to address a serious offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later in the middle of the night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, this time for public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. When they came to be questioned, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists just answered all queries 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 nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: an image of a giant projector, secured to four drawers. At that point, the officers were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”
The Final Result
A little more than a month later, all charges were dropped.
