What Happened Next: The Evening Led By Donkeys Projected Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys was determined to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed particularly craven. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
The group produced a short documentary detailing the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. He’s alleged to be mentioned, numerous times, in the files from the investigation into that individual … Now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s first arrest and repeatedly refuted all allegations in relation to Epstein.)
The Setup
The activists had secured rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast “castle view” and, more crucially, “castle view superior”, said group founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, atop a garbage can outside.
The world’s media was assembled, staring at the castle, growing restless as Trump was delayed. Their film, gained traction everywhere. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made gives people a social object to share, implying: ‘There’s something significant to look at 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 recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower requires some technical calibration,” Stewart states. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. Officers are thinking: ‘How pleasant – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt passed through the officers around me, and they raced into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; it wasn’t even their first action targeting 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. The following year, police visited him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee.
The Arrests
But, the group's creators weren't overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was rapid, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “Wearing jumpsuits and baseball caps. They had located some protesters. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission to protect the president. Fortunately, no guns. But they were extremely tense 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 which law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “a policeman began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional team members were then arrested for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to deal with a serious offence. To throw it at 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 says archly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter was on a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Some time in the middle of the night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, now for causing a public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest involved alleged sex offender. Knowles and his associates responded to every question with: “No comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you take the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: an image of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.”
The Outcome
Just over one month later, all charges was dismissed.