The Unfolding Events: The Night Led By Donkeys Projected Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle

When plans were revealed for the former president's upcoming official trip, including a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of rolling out the red carpet seemed especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded like clockwork.

A Deliberate Message

Activists created a nine-minute film detailing the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in documents related to the criminal probe into Epstein … Now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations concerning Epstein.)

The Setup

The group had booked rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast “castle view” and, more crucially, superior castle views, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, on top of a garbage can outside.

International press was assembled, staring at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. The film, however, gained traction globally. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary gives people something tangible to share, implying: ‘This is something significant to examine here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 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 explains. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. The police are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock passed through the officers around me, and they raced into the hotel.”

Not Their First Protest

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 piloted a motorized paraglider near the hotel where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee.

Confrontation with Police

But, the group's creators weren't especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy goes into ensuring the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was rapid, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and caps. They had located the culprits. They charged up the stairs; prepared; tasked to safeguard the guest. Fortunately, no guns. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’”

Stalling a large number of police officers is a long time. It helped that officers were unsure under what law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional team members were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to deal with a serious 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 remarks pointedly. As his colleagues were arrested, he slipped away, 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, officers came in and re-arrested them, this time for public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators belonged to the child protection squad – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists just answered every question with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anyone who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated the next move: a picture of a giant projector, secured to several drawers. At that point, the officers were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”

The Final Result

A little more than a month later, all charges was dismissed.