The Aftermath: The Evening 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 royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet seemed especially servile. Their next creative protest proceeded like clockwork.

A Provocative Film

Activists created 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 longstanding associate of America’s most notorious sex offender. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in the files related to the criminal probe into that individual … And now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within 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 concerning Epstein.)

The Setup

The activists had secured rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, according to group founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.

The world’s media was assembled, staring 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’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. The film we made gives people something tangible to share, saying: ‘There’s something really serious 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 official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. The police are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock goes through the police in fluorescent jackets around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”

Not Their First Protest

It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the hotel where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, police visited him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.

The Arrests

However, the group's creators weren't especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy goes into wanting the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” Officers was rapid, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and baseball caps. They’d finally found some protesters. They came roaring up the stairs; prepared; they were on a mission to protect the president. Thankfully, no guns. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I told them: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’”

Stalling a large number of police officers for six minutes. The fact that officers didn’t know under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “a policeman started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communications, a stalking law. “The law is precise: it’s designed to deal with a serious offence. Applying it to a piece 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 slipped away, then soon after was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.

A Second Arrest and Questioning

Some time in the middle of the night, while the activists were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and re-arrested them, this time for causing a public nuisance, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators belonged to the child protection unit – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. The activists responded to every question with: “No comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, the officers slid over a photograph: “They asked, did you take the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘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, secured to several drawers. At that point, the detectives were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”

The Outcome

Just over a month later, every charge were dropped.