The Aftermath: The Night The Activist Group Beamed Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, including a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet seemed particularly craven. Their subsequent creative protest proceeded like clockwork.
A Deliberate Message
Activists created a nine-minute film detailing Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier 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 referenced, repeatedly, in documents from the investigation into that individual … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and repeatedly refuted any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.)
The Setup
The activists had secured rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, said group founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, atop a garbage can outside.
International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. The film, however, gained traction globally. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. The film we made gives people something tangible to share, saying: ‘This is something significant to examine here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen by millions.”
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 this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the officers nearby, and the police raced into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first effort against Trump. Back in 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a motorized paraglider over the hotel where the president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.
Confrontation with Police
But, the group's creators were not overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into ensuring the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was swift, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing tactical gear and baseball caps. They had located some protesters. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no guns. But they were very adrenalised upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this really calm.’”
Delaying a large number of police officers for six minutes. The fact that they were unsure which law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “one officer started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three other activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. While the others were detained, he slipped away, shortly thereafter boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later that night, while the activists sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, now for causing a public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates responded to every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photograph: “‘Mr Knowles, 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 knew what was coming: a picture of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to several drawers. Then, the officers were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”
The Final Result
Just over a month later, all charges was dismissed.
