What Happened Next: The Night The Activist Group Projected Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle

When the announcement was made for the former president's second state visit, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet seemed particularly craven. Their next creative protest unfolded like clockwork.

A Deliberate Message

Activists created a short documentary detailing 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 long-time close friend of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in the files from the investigation 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 years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and repeatedly refuted any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.)

The Setup

The group had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, said group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, on top of a garbage can outside.

The world’s media was assembled, staring at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. Their film, gained traction globally. “While photographs of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart says, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uneasy. The film we made gives people something tangible to share, implying: ‘This is something really serious to examine here.’ We took 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. “It requires a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. The police likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the officers around me, and they raced into the hotel.”

Not Their First Protest

It wasn't their inaugural action; it wasn’t even their first action against Trump. In 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the hotel where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.

Confrontation with Police

However, the group's creators were not especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into wanting the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police make the intervention, the die is cast.” The police response was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “They were in tactical gear and baseball caps. They had located the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission to protect the president. Fortunately, no firearms. But they were extremely tense when they entered the room. I told them: ‘We should keep this calm.’”

Delaying multiple police officers is a long time. The fact that officers were unsure which law to make arrests. Upon finally entering 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 other team members were subsequently detained for malicious communication, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to deal with a really concerning offence. To throw it at a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.

A Second Arrest and Questioning

Some time 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, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – a twist which was palpable, given the focus of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates just answered every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: a picture of a giant projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the officers were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”

The Final Result

Just over a month later, all charges were dropped.