The Aftermath: The Evening The Activist Group Beamed Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle

When the announcement was made for the former president's second state visit, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass without a statement. The act of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their next creative protest unfolded with precision.

A Provocative Film

The group produced a short documentary detailing Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States is alleged to have been a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in the files from the investigation into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations in relation to Epstein.)

Preparations and Execution

The activists had secured rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, according to group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, atop a public rubbish bin outside.

The world’s media had gathered, staring at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. The film, however, gained traction globally. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary gives people a social object to share, implying: ‘This is something significant to look at here.’ We took a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.”

The Moment of Projection

It started with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “So there’s this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock goes through the officers nearby, and they raced into the hotel.”

A History of Activism

It wasn't their inaugural action; it wasn’t even their first action against Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a motorized paraglider over the hotel where the president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.

Confrontation with Police

But, the group's creators weren't overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into ensuring the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police arrive, the message is already out.” Officers was swift, reaching the hotel within three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. 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 calm.’”

Stalling a large number of police officers is a long time. It helped that officers were unsure which law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman began reciting 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 communications, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to address a serious offence. Applying it to an act 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 slipped away, shortly thereafter boarded a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.

An Ironic Interrogation

Later in the middle of the night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, now for public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection unit – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates responded to all queries with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anybody else who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: an image of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”

The Final Result

Just over one month later, all charges was dismissed.