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

When the announcement was made for the former president's upcoming official trip, complete with a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The act of rolling out the red carpet was viewed as especially servile. Their next creative protest unfolded with precision.

A Deliberate Message

Activists created a short documentary detailing the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous sex offender. He’s alleged to be mentioned, repeatedly, in documents related to the investigation into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump has stated he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations in relation to Epstein.)

Preparations and Execution

The group had booked rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, more crucially, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.

International press was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. Their film, spread rapidly everywhere. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary provides viewers something tangible to share, implying: ‘This is something really serious to examine here.’ It was an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen 20m times.”

The Reveal

The film began with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “It requires a cylindrical building needs some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “First appeared this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock goes through the police in fluorescent jackets around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”

Not Their First Protest

This was not their inaugural action; it wasn’t even their first action targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider near the resort where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. The following year, police visited him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.

The Arrests

But, the activists weren't overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into ensuring the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police arrive, the die is cast.” The police response was swift, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, highly agitated, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and baseball caps. They had located the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Fortunately, no firearms. But they were very adrenalised upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this really calm.’”

Stalling multiple police officers is a long time. The fact that officers didn’t know which law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman started reading a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop because it wasn’t right.” Knowles and three other activists were then arrested for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: it’s designed to address a serious offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect 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 out of Windsor, calling lawyers.

A Second Arrest and Questioning

Some time that night, while the activists were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, now for causing a public nuisance, deeming it more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available belonged to the child protection squad – an irony that was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists responded to all queries with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photo: “They asked, did you take 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 what was coming: a picture of a large projector, secured to four drawers. Then, the officers struggled to keep a straight face.”

The Final Result

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