When plans were revealed for Donald Trump’s upcoming official trip, complete with a Windsor Castle banquet on September 17th, 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys was determined not to let it pass without a statement. The act of offering a lavish welcome seemed particularly craven. Their next creative protest proceeded like clockwork.
A Provocative Film
The group produced a nine-minute film exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States was a long-time close friend of the nation's most infamous sex offender. His name is said to be referenced, numerous times, in documents related to the investigation into Epstein … And now that very man, Donald Trump, is sleeping here within Windsor Castle.” (For his part, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s initial legal troubles and repeatedly refuted any wrongdoing concerning Epstein.)
The Setup
The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, which boast views of the castle and, more crucially, “castle view superior”, said group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. For audio, Stewart placed a wireless speaker, hidden within a box of cereal, atop a garbage can outside.
The world’s media had gathered, staring at the castle, becoming bored as Trump was delayed. The film, however, gained traction everywhere. “While the still pictures of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that persuades anyone of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made provides viewers a social object to share, implying: ‘This is something significant to examine here.’ We took an act of activist journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was seen 20m times.”
The Reveal
It started with the recognizable Windsor Castle logo. “Projecting onto the castle's round tower needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared this royal crest. Officers likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a massive image of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock passed through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and they raced into the hotel.”
Not Their First Protest
This was not the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first effort against Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a motorized paraglider near the resort where the then-president was staying during a visit to Turnberry. A year later, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee.
The Arrests
But, the activists were not overly concerned about arrest. “All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police arrive, the message is already out.” Officers was swift, reaching the hotel in under three minutes, highly agitated, he remembers. “They were in tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission to protect the president. Thankfully, no guns. But they were extremely tense when they entered the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this really calm.’”
Stalling a large number of police officers for six minutes. It helped that they were unsure which law to charge anyone. 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 other activists were then arrested for malicious communications, a stalking law. “The law is precise: its purpose is to address a serious offence. To throw it at a piece of journalism, projected on to a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart says archly. As his colleagues were arrested, he melted into the crowd, then soon after was on a train leaving Windsor, contacting legal counsel.
An Ironic Interrogation
Later in the middle of the night, while the activists were in the cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, this time for public nuisance, having decided a stronger charge. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – a twist which was palpable, given the focus of the protest involved Jeffrey Epstein. Knowles and his associates just answered every question with: “No comment.” A few minutes into the interview, police presented a photograph: “‘Mr Knowles, did you take the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘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 giant projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the detectives struggled to maintain their composure.”
The Outcome
A little more than a month later, every charge was dismissed.
