What Happened Next: The Evening The Activist Group Projected 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 September 17th, 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent creative protest unfolded with precision.
A Deliberate Message
Activists created a nine-minute film exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. He’s alleged to be referenced, repeatedly, in the files from the criminal probe into that individual … And now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)
Preparations and Execution
The activists had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast “castle view” and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful 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 photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary gives people something tangible to share, saying: ‘There’s something significant to look at here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen 20m times.”
The Moment of Projection
It started with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “It requires a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. Officers are thinking: ‘How pleasant – a royal tribute,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock goes through the officers around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
This was not the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider near the hotel where the president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. A year later, officers warned him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.
Confrontation with Police
But, the group's creators weren't especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into ensuring the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “Once the police arrive, the message is already out.” Officers was swift, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “They were in jumpsuits and baseball caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, 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 is a long time. It helped that they didn’t know under what law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional team members were then arrested for malicious communications, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to deal with a really concerning offence. To throw it at an act of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, then soon after was on a train out of Windsor, contacting legal counsel.
An Ironic Interrogation
Some time that night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, now for causing a public nuisance, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators belonged to the child protection unit – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. The activists responded to every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photograph: “They asked, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated the next move: a picture of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. At that point, the officers were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”
The Final Result
Just over a month later, all charges was dismissed.
