The Aftermath: The Night The Activist Group Beamed Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
When the announcement was made for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, including a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys was determined to ensure it did not go unprotested. The gesture of rolling out the red carpet seemed particularly craven. Their next creative protest unfolded with precision.
A Provocative Film
Activists created a short documentary detailing Donald Trump’s relationship with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in documents related to the criminal probe into Epstein … And now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump maintains he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s first arrest and repeatedly refuted all allegations concerning Epstein.)
Preparations and Execution
The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a Bluetooth speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.
International press was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. The film, however, spread rapidly globally. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. The film we made provides viewers a social object to share, saying: ‘There’s something really serious to examine here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen by millions.”
The Reveal
The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “First appeared this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock goes through the police in fluorescent jackets around me, and the police raced into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first action against Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider near the resort where the president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.
Confrontation with Police
But, the activists were not especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into ensuring the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was rapid, arriving in the lobby in under three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found some protesters. They charged up the stairs; prepared; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, no guns. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this really calm.’”
Delaying a large number of police officers for six minutes. It helped that they were unsure which law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “one officer 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 then arrested for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to deal with a really concerning offence. To throw it at a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he slipped away, then soon after was on a train out of Windsor, contacting legal counsel.
A Second Arrest and Questioning
Later that night, while the activists were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and re-arrested them, this time for public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection unit – a twist which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you take the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone 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. At that point, the detectives were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”
The Final Result
A little more than one month later, every charge was dismissed.
