The Aftermath: The Evening Led By Donkeys Beamed Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle

When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, including a Windsor Castle banquet on 17 September 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass without a statement. The act of rolling out the red carpet seemed particularly craven. Their subsequent creative protest unfolded with precision.

A Provocative Film

Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States was a longstanding associate of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in documents related to the investigation into Epstein … Now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations concerning Epstein.)

The Setup

The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a Bluetooth speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.

The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. Their film, spread rapidly globally. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made provides viewers a social object to share, implying: ‘There’s something significant to look at here.’ It was 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. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “First appeared this royal crest. Officers likely thought: ‘How pleasant – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock passed through the officers around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”

A History of Activism

This was not the group’s first rodeo; it wasn’t even their first action against Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a motorized paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, police visited him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee.

Confrontation with Police

However, the group's creators were not especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into ensuring the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was swift, reaching the hotel within three minutes, highly agitated, he remembers. “They were in jumpsuits and caps. They had located the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, no guns. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this really calm.’”

Stalling multiple police officers is a long time. It helped that they didn’t know under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional activists were subsequently detained for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: its purpose is to deal with a serious offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.

A Second Arrest and Questioning

Later that night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, now for public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists responded to all queries with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you take 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: an image of a giant projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”

The Final Result

A little more than a month later, all charges was dismissed.