🔗 Share this article What Happened Next: The Night Led By Donkeys Projected Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, including a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent creative protest unfolded with precision. A Deliberate Message Activists created a nine-minute film exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States was a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in the files from the investigation into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest 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 any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The activists had booked rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, more crucially, superior castle views, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a Bluetooth speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, atop a public rubbish bin outside. International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, gained traction globally. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary provides viewers something tangible to share, saying: ‘There’s something really serious to look at here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.” The Reveal The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “So there’s this royal crest. Officers are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the officers nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.” Not Their First Protest This was not their inaugural action; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. Back in 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured. The Arrests However, the activists were not overly concerned about detainment. “My nervous energy is channelled into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police arrive, the die is cast.” The police response was rapid, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found some protesters. They came roaring up the stairs; prepared; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no guns. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’” Stalling multiple police officers is a long time. The fact that officers were unsure under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer started reading a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: its purpose is to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, projected on to 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 Later that night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, this time for public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available belonged to the child protection unit – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest involved alleged sex offender. The activists responded to all queries 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 the next move: a picture of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to keep a straight face.” The Outcome A little more than one month later, every charge were dropped.
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, including a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled to ensure it did not go unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet was viewed as especially servile. Their subsequent creative protest unfolded with precision. A Deliberate Message Activists created a nine-minute film exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States was a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in the files from the investigation into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest 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 any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The activists had booked rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, more crucially, superior castle views, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a Bluetooth speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, atop a public rubbish bin outside. International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, gained traction globally. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary provides viewers something tangible to share, saying: ‘There’s something really serious to look at here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.” The Reveal The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “So there’s this royal crest. Officers are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the officers nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.” Not Their First Protest This was not their inaugural action; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. Back in 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured. The Arrests However, the activists were not overly concerned about detainment. “My nervous energy is channelled into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police arrive, the die is cast.” The police response was rapid, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found some protesters. They came roaring up the stairs; prepared; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no guns. But they were very adrenalised when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’” Stalling multiple police officers is a long time. The fact that officers were unsure under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer started reading a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: its purpose is to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, projected on to 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 Later that night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, this time for public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available belonged to the child protection unit – a twist that was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest involved alleged sex offender. The activists responded to all queries 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 the next move: a picture of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to keep a straight face.” The Outcome A little more than one month later, every charge were dropped.