The Unfolding Events: 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, complete with 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 seemed especially servile. Their subsequent creative protest unfolded with precision.
A Deliberate Message
Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in documents related to the investigation into that individual … Now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s first arrest and has consistently denied all allegations in relation to Epstein.)
The Setup
The group had secured rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, atop a public rubbish bin outside.
International press had gathered, staring at the castle, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, spread rapidly globally. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary gives people a social object to share, saying: ‘This is something really serious to look at here.’ It was an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen 20m times.”
The Reveal
It started with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower requires some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “First appeared 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 appears. A wave of shock passed through the officers nearby, and the police raced into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
It wasn't their inaugural action; nor was it their first effort targeting Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the resort where the president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.
The Arrests
However, the activists were not especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into wanting the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was swift, reaching the hotel within three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and baseball caps. They had located some protesters. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to safeguard the guest. Fortunately, no guns. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this really calm.’”
Stalling a large number of police officers for six minutes. It helped that they didn’t know which law to charge anyone. When they finally entered 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 activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: its purpose is to address a really concerning offence. To throw it at a piece 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. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.
A Second Arrest and Questioning
Some time in the middle of the night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, now for causing a public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. When they came to be questioned, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection unit – an irony that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. Knowles and his associates just answered all queries with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photograph: “They asked, did you remove 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 knew the next move: a picture of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. At that point, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.”
The Final Result
Just over one month later, all charges was dismissed.
