The Aftermath: The Night Led By Donkeys Beamed Pictures Featuring Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle
When the announcement was made for the former president's upcoming official trip, complete with a Windsor Castle banquet on 17 September 2025, the activist collective Led By Donkeys felt compelled not to let it pass unprotested. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome was viewed as particularly craven. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded with precision.
A Deliberate Message
The group produced a nine-minute film exploring Donald Trump’s relationship 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 the nation's most infamous sex offender. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in the files related to the criminal probe into that individual … And now that president, Donald Trump, is a guest within Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump maintains he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.)
Preparations and Execution
The activists had secured rooms in the adjacent Harte and Garter hotel, which boast “castle view” and, even more helpfully, “castle view superior”, said a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a high-lumen 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, hidden inside a cereal box, on top of a garbage can outside.
International press had gathered, their gaze fixed at the castle, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, spread rapidly everywhere. “Although the still pictures of Epstein and Trump spread like wildfire online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. Our documentary provides viewers a social object to share, implying: ‘There’s something really serious to look at here.’ We took a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.”
The Reveal
The film began with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower requires a little bit of mapping,” Stewart explains. “First appeared this royal crest. Officers are thinking: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and suddenly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein materializes. A wave of shock passed through the officers nearby, and the police all pile into the hotel.”
A History of Activism
It wasn't their inaugural action; nor was it their first action targeting Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart had flown a paraglider near the hotel where the then-president was staying in Scotland. A year later, officers warned him that if he tried again, they couldn’t guarantee.
Confrontation with Police
However, the group's creators weren't overly concerned about arrest. “My nervous energy goes into ensuring the action to succeed,” notes Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” Officers was rapid, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing jumpsuits and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. 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 multiple police officers for six minutes. It helped that officers didn’t know under what law to charge anyone. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer began reciting a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, which another officer asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communications, a law related to harassment. “The law is precise: it’s designed 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, seemed against the spirit of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. While the others were detained, he slipped away, shortly thereafter was on a train out of Windsor, calling lawyers.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later 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, deeming it a stronger charge. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators belonged to the child protection unit – a twist which was not lost on anyone, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists responded to every question with: “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 reason to remove the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: a picture of a large projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.”
The Outcome
Just over a month later, all charges was dismissed.
