The Aftermath: The Night Led By Donkeys Projected Images of Trump and Epstein on to Windsor Castle
When plans were revealed for the former president's second state visit, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on 17 September 2025, the activist collective known as Led By Donkeys was determined to ensure it did not go without a statement. The act of offering a lavish welcome seemed especially servile. Their subsequent creative protest proceeded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
The group produced a nine-minute film exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. It concluded: “The president 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, repeatedly, in documents from the investigation into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here within Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein years before Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied all allegations concerning Epstein.)
The Setup
The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with “castle view” and, more crucially, superior castle views, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a high-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, on top of a public rubbish bin outside.
The world’s media was assembled, their gaze fixed at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. Their film, 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 simply makes Trump uneasy. Our documentary gives people a social object to share, saying: ‘This is something significant to examine here.’ It was an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen by millions.”
The Moment of Projection
It started with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires the castle's round tower requires some technical calibration,” Stewart explains. “So there’s this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘How pleasant – a royal tribute,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock passed through the officers nearby, and the police raced into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
It wasn't the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first action against Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider over the resort where the president was staying in Scotland. The following year, police visited him that if he tried again, his safety wasn't assured.
Confrontation with Police
But, the activists weren't overly concerned about detainment. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the protest works,” says Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police arrive, the die is cast.” Officers was swift, reaching the hotel in under 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; they were on a mission to protect the president. Fortunately, no firearms. But they were extremely tense when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘Let’s keep this calm.’”
Stalling a large number of police officers is a long time. It helped that officers didn’t know under what law to charge anyone. When they finally entered the room, “one officer 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 additional team members were subsequently detained for malicious communication, a stalking law. “The law is precise: it’s designed to deal with a serious offence. Applying it to an act of journalism, displayed on a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, appeared contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, then soon after was on a train leaving Windsor, contacting legal counsel.
A Second Arrest and Questioning
Some time in the middle of the night, as the detainees sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, police re-entered and re-arrested them, this time for public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – an irony that was palpable, given the focus of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. The activists just answered all queries with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Sir, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I anticipated the next move: a picture of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to several drawers. Then, the detectives struggled to keep a straight face.”
The Final Result
A little more than a month later, all charges were dropped.
