The Unfolding Events: The Night The Activist Group Beamed Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle

When plans were revealed for the former president'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 gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed especially servile. Their subsequent creative protest proceeded with precision.

A Deliberate Message

The group produced a nine-minute film exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in the files from the criminal probe into that individual … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he ended his friendship with Epstein long prior to 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, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, more crucially, “castle view superior”, according to group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, hidden inside a cereal box, atop a garbage can outside.

The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. The film, however, spread rapidly everywhere. “While 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 a social object to share, saying: ‘This is something significant to examine here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.”

The Moment of Projection

The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower requires some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. The police are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt passed through the officers around me, and they raced into the hotel.”

A History of Activism

It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; it wasn’t even their first effort targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider near the resort where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. The following year, police visited him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.

The Arrests

But, the activists weren't especially worried about detainment. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “They were in jumpsuits and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission to protect the president. Thankfully, no guns. But they were extremely tense 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 officers were unsure under what law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “one officer began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer asked him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three other activists were then arrested for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to address a really concerning offence. To throw it at a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter boarded a train leaving Windsor, contacting legal counsel.

A Second Arrest and Questioning

Some time that night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, this time for causing a public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. When they came to be questioned, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists just answered every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “They asked, did you remove the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew what was coming: a picture of a large projector, secured to several drawers. At that point, the detectives struggled to keep a straight face.”

The Final Result

Just over a month later, every charge was dismissed.