The Unfolding Events: The Evening The Activist Group Projected Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, complete with a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event unfolded with precision.
A Deliberate Message
The group produced a nine-minute film exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be mentioned, repeatedly, in documents from the criminal probe into Epstein … And now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and repeatedly refuted any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)
Preparations and Execution
The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast “castle view” and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, according to group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, atop a garbage can outside.
International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, spread rapidly everywhere. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary provides viewers a social object to share, implying: ‘There’s something significant to look at here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.”
The Moment of Projection
The film began with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. Officers likely thought: ‘How pleasant – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt goes through the officers nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; it wasn’t even their first action against Trump. Back in 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider over the hotel where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.
The Arrests
However, the activists were not especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy goes into ensuring the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, arriving in the lobby in under three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and baseball caps. They’d finally found some protesters. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no guns. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I told them: ‘We should keep this calm.’”
Stalling multiple police officers is a long time. The fact that officers were unsure under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer began reciting a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three other team members were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to address a serious offence. To throw it at an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, seemed against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he slipped away, shortly thereafter was on a train leaving Windsor, contacting legal counsel.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later that night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, this time for causing a public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. When they came to be questioned, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – a twist that was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists just answered every question with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photograph: “They asked, did you take the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: an image of a giant projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the officers struggled to keep a straight face.”
The Final Result
Just over one month later, every charge was dismissed.
