🔗 Share this article The Unfolding Events: The Evening The Activist Group Projected Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle When plans were revealed for the former president's upcoming official trip, complete with a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass unprotested. The gesture of rolling out the red carpet seemed particularly craven. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded with precision. A Provocative Film The group produced a short documentary exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a long-time close friend of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be referenced, repeatedly, in the files related to the criminal probe into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, said group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, on top of a garbage can outside. The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored awaiting Trump's arrival. The film, however, spread rapidly globally. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. The film we made provides viewers something tangible to share, saying: ‘This is something significant to look at here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.” The Reveal The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. Officers likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock passed through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.” Not Their First Protest This was not their inaugural action; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a motorized paraglider over the hotel where the president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee. The Arrests However, the group's creators were not overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing tactical gear and baseball caps. They’d finally found some protesters. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense when they entered the room. I told them: ‘We should keep this calm.’” Delaying a large number of police officers is a long time. It helped that officers were unsure under what law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “one officer began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to address a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train out of Windsor, contacting legal counsel. An Ironic Interrogation Some time that night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and arrested them again, this time for public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. When they came to be questioned, the sole available interrogators belonged to the child protection unit – an irony that was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew what was coming: a picture of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to several drawers. At that point, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.” The Final Result Just over one month later, all charges were dropped.
When plans were revealed for the former president's upcoming official trip, complete with a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass unprotested. The gesture of rolling out the red carpet seemed particularly craven. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded with precision. A Provocative Film The group produced a short documentary exploring Donald Trump’s relationship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a long-time close friend of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be referenced, repeatedly, in the files related to the criminal probe into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, said group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart placed a Bluetooth speaker, concealed within a box of cereal, on top of a garbage can outside. The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored awaiting Trump's arrival. The film, however, spread rapidly globally. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart says, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it just makes Trump uneasy. The film we made provides viewers something tangible to share, saying: ‘This is something significant to look at here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed 20m times.” The Reveal The film began with the official Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto a cylindrical building requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared the royal coat of arms. Officers likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock passed through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.” Not Their First Protest This was not their inaugural action; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a motorized paraglider over the hotel where the president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee. The Arrests However, the group's creators were not overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “Once the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing tactical gear and baseball caps. They’d finally found some protesters. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; tasked to protect the president. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense when they entered the room. I told them: ‘We should keep this calm.’” Delaying a large number of police officers is a long time. It helped that officers were unsure under what law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “one officer began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were subsequently detained for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “and it’s very specific: its purpose is to address a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, to protect the reputation of the president, appeared against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train out of Windsor, contacting legal counsel. An Ironic Interrogation Some time that night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and arrested them again, this time for public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. When they came to be questioned, the sole available interrogators belonged to the child protection unit – an irony that was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew what was coming: a picture of a giant projector, ratchet-strapped to several drawers. At that point, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.” The Final Result Just over one month later, all charges were dropped.