What Happened Next: The Night Led By Donkeys Projected Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
When the announcement was made for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, including a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The act of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as particularly craven. Their subsequent art-activist event unfolded like clockwork.
A Deliberate Message
Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The commander-in-chief of the United States is alleged to have been a long-time close friend of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in documents related to the criminal probe into Epstein … Now that very man, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations in relation to Epstein.)
Preparations and Execution
The activists had booked rooms in the nearby 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 high-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, on top of a garbage can outside.
International press was assembled, staring at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. Their film, spread rapidly globally. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary gives people something tangible 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 by millions.”
The Moment of Projection
The film began with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. Officers likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. This electric jolt passed through the officers around me, and the police all pile into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; 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 president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.
The Arrests
However, the activists weren't overly concerned about detainment. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the die is cast.” Officers was rapid, arriving in the lobby in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing jumpsuits and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They charged up the stairs; prepared; they were on a mission to safeguard the guest. Fortunately, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this calm.’”
Stalling a large number of police officers is a long time. The fact that officers were unsure which law to charge anyone. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer started reading a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three other activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to deal with a serious offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, shortly thereafter was on a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers.
A Second Arrest and Questioning
Later in the middle of the night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, now for causing a public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available belonged to the child protection unit – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. Knowles and his associates responded to every question with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “They asked, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated the next move: an image of a large projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the detectives were finding it hard to keep a straight face.”
The Final Result
Just over one month later, all charges were dropped.
