The Aftermath: The Night Led By Donkeys Projected Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle

When plans were revealed for the former president's upcoming official trip, including a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as especially servile. Their next art-activist event unfolded with precision.

A Deliberate Message

The group produced a nine-minute film exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. His name is said to be mentioned, repeatedly, in documents from the criminal probe into that individual … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)

Preparations and Execution

The activists had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, more crucially, “castle view superior”, according to a co-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 as Trump was delayed. The film, however, spread rapidly globally. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart says, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. The film we made gives people a social object to share, implying: ‘There’s something really serious to look at here.’ We took a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.”

The Moment of Projection

It started with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires a cylindrical building needs some technical calibration,” Stewart states. “So there’s this royal crest. The police are thinking: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt goes through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and they raced into the hotel.”

A History of Activism

This was not their inaugural action; it wasn’t even their first action targeting Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.

Confrontation with Police

However, the group's creators weren't overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into ensuring the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police arrive, the message is already out.” Officers was swift, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They had located the culprits. They charged up the stairs; prepared; they were on a mission to safeguard the guest. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense when they entered the room. I told them: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’”

Delaying a large number of police officers is a long time. The fact that they were unsure which law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman began reciting a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a stalking law. “The law is precise: its purpose is to address a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, then soon after was on a train out of Windsor, contacting legal counsel.

A Second Arrest and Questioning

Later that night, while the activists sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, now for causing a public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. Knowles and his associates just answered every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anybody else who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: a picture of a giant projector, secured to four drawers. At that point, the officers struggled to keep a straight face.”

The Outcome

Just over a month later, all charges was dismissed.