🔗 Share this article What Happened Next: The Evening Led By Donkeys Projected Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, including a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The act of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event unfolded like clockwork. A Provocative Film Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous sex offender. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in documents from the investigation into that individual … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations in relation to Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, on top of a garbage can outside. The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. Their film, gained traction everywhere. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made provides viewers something tangible to share, implying: ‘This is something significant to examine 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 recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower requires some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. Officers likely thought: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and suddenly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt goes through the officers nearby, and the police all pile into the hotel.” Not Their First Protest This was not their inaugural action; it wasn’t even their first effort targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a motorized paraglider near the hotel where the then-president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured. Confrontation with Police But, the activists weren't especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy is channelled into ensuring the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; prepared; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this calm.’” Stalling multiple 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, before another asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a stalking law. “The law is precise: its purpose is to address a serious offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he slipped away, then soon after was on a train leaving Windsor, contacting legal counsel. A Second Arrest and Questioning Some time in the middle of the night, while the activists sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and arrested them again, now for public nuisance, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available belonged to the child protection unit – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates just answered all queries with: “No comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you remove 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: a picture of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to keep a straight face.” The Final Result Just over a month later, all charges were dropped.
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, including a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The act of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event unfolded like clockwork. A Provocative Film Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous sex offender. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in documents from the investigation into that individual … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations in relation to Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, on top of a garbage can outside. The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. Their film, gained traction everywhere. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made provides viewers something tangible to share, implying: ‘This is something significant to examine 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 recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower requires some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. Officers likely thought: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and suddenly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt goes through the officers nearby, and the police all pile into the hotel.” Not Their First Protest This was not their inaugural action; it wasn’t even their first effort targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a motorized paraglider near the hotel where the then-president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured. Confrontation with Police But, the activists weren't especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy is channelled into ensuring the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; prepared; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this calm.’” Stalling multiple 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, before another asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a stalking law. “The law is precise: its purpose is to address a serious offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he slipped away, then soon after was on a train leaving Windsor, contacting legal counsel. A Second Arrest and Questioning Some time in the middle of the night, while the activists sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and arrested them again, now for public nuisance, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available belonged to the child protection unit – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates just answered all queries with: “No comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you remove 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: a picture of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to keep a straight face.” The Final Result Just over a month later, all charges were dropped.