The Unfolding Events: The Night The Activist Group Beamed Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s second state visit, complete with a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass unprotested. The act of offering a lavish welcome seemed especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event unfolded with precision.
A Provocative Film
The group produced a short documentary detailing Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The commander-in-chief of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. He’s alleged to be referenced, numerous times, in documents from 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 first arrest and has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.)
The Setup
The activists had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, said group founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, atop a garbage can outside.
The world’s media had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored awaiting Trump's arrival. The film, however, gained traction globally. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I doubt that convinces people of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary gives people something tangible to share, implying: ‘This is something really serious to look at here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen by millions.”
The Reveal
The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “So there’s the royal coat of arms. The police likely thought: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock passed through the police in fluorescent jackets around me, and the police raced into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
This was not their inaugural action; nor was it their first effort targeting Trump. Back in 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider near the hotel where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, his safety wasn't assured.
Confrontation with Police
But, the group's creators weren't especially worried about arrest. “All my anxiety goes into wanting the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” The police response was swift, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “They were in tactical gear and baseball caps. They’d finally found some protesters. 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.’”
Stalling multiple police officers for six minutes. It helped that they didn’t know under what law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “a policeman began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional team members were subsequently detained for malicious communication, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to address a serious offence. To throw it at an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train leaving Windsor, contacting legal counsel.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later in the middle of the night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, this time for causing a public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection unit – a twist which was palpable, given the focus of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. Knowles and his associates responded to all queries with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photograph: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anybody else who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated what was coming: an image of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the officers struggled to keep a straight face.”
The Final Result
A little more than one month later, all charges were dropped.
