What Happened Next: The Evening Led By Donkeys Beamed Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for the former president's upcoming official trip, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go unprotested. The gesture of rolling out the red carpet was viewed as especially servile. Their next art-activist event unfolded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a long-time close friend of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in the files related to the criminal probe into Epstein … And now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s first arrest and repeatedly refuted any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.)
Preparations and Execution
The group had booked 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 projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a Bluetooth speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, atop a public rubbish bin outside.
International press had gathered, staring at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. The film, however, gained traction everywhere. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. The film we made provides viewers 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 official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building requires some technical calibration,” Stewart states. “First appeared this royal crest. The police are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt passed through the officers around me, and they all pile into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
It wasn't their inaugural action; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a motorized paraglider near the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, police visited him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.
The Arrests
However, the activists were not overly concerned about detainment. “All my anxiety is channelled into ensuring the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police arrive, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, reaching the hotel within 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 protect the president. Thankfully, no guns. But they were very adrenalised upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this calm.’”
Stalling multiple police officers is a long time. The fact that officers didn’t know 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, which another officer told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three other team members were then arrested for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to deal with a serious offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, then soon after was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.
A Second Arrest and Questioning
Later in the middle of the night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, this time for public nuisance, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists responded to all queries with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “They asked, 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, secured to several drawers. At that point, the officers were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”
The Outcome
A little more than one month later, every charge were dropped.
