What Happened Next: The Evening Led By Donkeys Beamed Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle

When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, including a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the activist collective known as Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass without a statement. The act of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as particularly craven. Their subsequent creative protest unfolded with precision.

A Provocative Film

The group produced a nine-minute film 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 America’s most notorious sex offender. He’s alleged to be mentioned, repeatedly, in documents related to the criminal probe into that individual … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump maintains he ended his friendship with Epstein years before Epstein’s first arrest and repeatedly refuted any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)

Preparations and Execution

The activists had booked rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast “castle view” and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, hidden inside a cereal box, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.

The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, spread rapidly globally. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary provides viewers something tangible to share, saying: ‘This is something significant to examine here.’ We took a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.”

The Moment of Projection

It started with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “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. This electric jolt passed through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and the police all pile into the hotel.”

A History of Activism

This was not 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 paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.

Confrontation with Police

But, the activists were not especially worried about detainment. “My nervous energy goes into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “Once the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “They were in tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They came roaring up the stairs; prepared; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, 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 for six minutes. It helped that they didn’t know which law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “a policeman began reciting a clause 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: it’s designed to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. As his colleagues were arrested, he slipped away, then soon after boarded a train out of Windsor, contacting legal counsel.

A Second Arrest and Questioning

Some time in the middle of the night, as the detainees were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and arrested them again, now for public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. When they came to be questioned, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – an irony which was not lost on anyone, given the focus of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. The activists responded to all queries with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, police presented a photograph: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew what was coming: an image of a large projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the officers were finding it hard to maintain their composure.”

The Outcome

Just over one month later, all charges were dropped.