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 second state visit, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass without a statement. The act of offering a lavish welcome seemed particularly craven. Their next art-activist event proceeded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
The group produced a short documentary exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous sex offender. He’s alleged to be mentioned, numerous times, in the files from the criminal probe into that individual … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in 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 activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, “castle view superior”, according to group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.
International press was assembled, staring at the castle, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. The film, however, gained traction everywhere. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary provides viewers something tangible to share, saying: ‘There’s something significant to examine here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.”
The Reveal
It started with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “So there’s this royal crest. Officers likely thought: ‘How pleasant – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock passed through the officers nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
This was not their inaugural action; nor was it their first action against Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a motorized paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. The following year, officers warned him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.
Confrontation with Police
However, the group's creators weren't especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” The police response was swift, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, highly agitated, he remembers. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They had located the culprits. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no guns. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I told them: ‘Let’s keep this really calm.’”
Stalling a large number of police officers is a long time. It helped that they were unsure under what law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “one officer started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three other team members were then arrested for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, seemed against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later that night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, this time for causing a public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. When they came to be questioned, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – an irony that was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates just answered every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew what was coming: an image of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to several drawers. At that point, the detectives were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”
The Final Result
Just over a month later, every charge were dropped.
