The Aftermath: The Evening Led By Donkeys Projected Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein onto 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 known as Led By Donkeys was determined to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed especially servile. Their subsequent creative protest unfolded with precision.
A Deliberate Message
Activists created a short documentary detailing the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States is alleged to have been a long-time close friend of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be mentioned, repeatedly, in documents related to the criminal probe into that individual … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.)
The Setup
The activists had booked rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, according to group founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, on top of a garbage can outside.
The world’s media had gathered, staring at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. Their film, spread rapidly everywhere. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made gives people something tangible to share, implying: ‘There’s something significant to examine here.’ It was an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen by millions.”
The Moment of Projection
The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower needs some technical calibration,” Stewart states. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. The police likely thought: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the officers around me, and they raced into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
This was not the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first action against Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a motorized paraglider near the resort where the president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. The following year, police visited him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.
Confrontation with Police
But, the activists weren't especially worried about detainment. “My nervous energy goes into wanting the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was swift, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “They were in jumpsuits and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They charged up the stairs; prepared; tasked to safeguard the guest. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were very adrenalised upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this really calm.’”
Stalling multiple police officers for six minutes. It helped that they didn’t know which law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “a policeman began reciting a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three other activists were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to address a serious offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, appeared contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.
A Second Arrest and Questioning
Later in the middle of the night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and arrested them again, this time for causing a public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – an irony that was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. Knowles and his associates responded to all queries with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you remove 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: an image of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.”
The Final Result
A little more than a month later, all charges was dismissed.
