The Unfolding Events: 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 17 September 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go unprotested. The act of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded with precision.

A Deliberate Message

Activists created a short documentary exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous sex offender. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in documents from the criminal probe into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and repeatedly refuted all allegations concerning Epstein.)

Preparations and Execution

The group had booked rooms in the nearby 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 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, hidden inside a cereal box, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.

The world’s media had gathered, staring 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 notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary gives people a social object to share, saying: ‘There’s something significant to look at here.’ We took a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.”

The Reveal

The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. The police likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt passed through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and they raced 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 motorized paraglider over the resort where the president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. A year later, police visited him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.

Confrontation with Police

But, the activists weren't especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy goes into wanting the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” The police response was rapid, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They had located the culprits. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to safeguard the guest. Fortunately, no firearms. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I told them: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’”

Delaying 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 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 communication, a stalking law. “The law is precise: it’s designed to address a serious offence. To throw it at a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, seemed against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. While the others were detained, he slipped away, shortly thereafter was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.

An Ironic Interrogation

Some time that night, while the activists were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and re-arrested them, now for public nuisance, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates just answered all queries with: “No comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, the officers slid over a photograph: “‘Mr Knowles, did you take the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anybody else who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: an image of a large projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”

The Outcome

A little more than one month later, every charge were dropped.