The Aftermath: The Night Led By Donkeys Projected Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle

When plans were revealed for the former president's upcoming official trip, including a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the activist collective known as Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass without a statement. The act of rolling out the red carpet seemed especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event unfolded like clockwork.

A Provocative Film

Activists created a short documentary exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in the files related to the investigation into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s first arrest and has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)

The Setup

The group had secured rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.

International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. Their film, gained traction globally. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. The film we made gives people something tangible to share, implying: ‘This is something really serious to look at here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen 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 explains. “First appeared this royal crest. The police are thinking: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. This electric jolt goes through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and the police raced into the hotel.”

A History of Activism

It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; it wasn’t even their first action against Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider near the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.

The Arrests

However, the activists weren't overly concerned about detainment. “All my anxiety is channelled into ensuring the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” The police response was swift, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing jumpsuits and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to safeguard the guest. Fortunately, no guns. But they were very adrenalised upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’”

Delaying multiple police officers for six minutes. It helped that they didn’t know under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “a policeman started reading a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional team members were then arrested for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to address a really concerning offence. To throw it at an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. As his colleagues were arrested, he slipped away, then soon after was on a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.

An Ironic Interrogation

Later that night, while the activists were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered 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 belonged to the child protection unit – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest involved alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “No comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, the officers slid over 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: a picture of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the officers were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”

The Outcome

A little more than a month later, all charges were dropped.