🔗 Share this article What Happened Next: The Evening Led By Donkeys Beamed Pictures Featuring 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 September 17th, 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys was determined to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded with precision. A Deliberate Message Activists created a nine-minute film exploring the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. His name is said to be referenced, repeatedly, in documents related to the investigation into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, 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 nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful projector. For audio, 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, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, gained traction everywhere. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made provides viewers a social object to share, saying: ‘This is something really serious to examine 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. “It requires the castle's round tower needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “So there’s this royal crest. Officers likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly 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 effort targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a motorized paraglider over the resort where the president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee. The Arrests However, the activists were not especially worried about detainment. “All my anxiety is channelled into ensuring the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They had located some protesters. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission to safeguard the guest. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this calm.’” Stalling multiple police officers for six minutes. The fact that they didn’t know under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer began reciting a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three other activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to address a really concerning offence. To throw it at an act of journalism, projected on to a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers. A Second Arrest and Questioning Some time that night, while the activists sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, now for public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – a twist which was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you take the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anybody else who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: an image of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the officers were finding it hard to maintain their composure.” The Outcome A little more than a month later, all charges were dropped.
When plans were revealed for the former president's second state visit, complete with a royal dinner at Windsor on September 17th, 2025, the protest group known as Led By Donkeys was determined to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed especially servile. Their subsequent art-activist event proceeded with precision. A Deliberate Message Activists created a nine-minute film exploring the connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The president of the United States is alleged to have been a longstanding associate of the nation's most infamous child sex trafficker. His name is said to be referenced, repeatedly, in documents related to the investigation into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (For his part, 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 nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, even more helpfully, superior castle views, according to a co-founder, Ben Stewart. Their equipment included a powerful projector. For audio, 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, growing restless awaiting Trump's arrival. Their film, gained traction everywhere. “Although photographs of Epstein and Trump went viral online,” Stewart notes, “I’m not sure that convinces people of anything – it simply makes Trump uncomfortable. The film we made provides viewers a social object to share, saying: ‘This is something really serious to examine 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. “It requires the castle's round tower needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “So there’s this royal crest. Officers likely thought: ‘Ah, that’s nice – a royal tribute,’ and suddenly 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 effort targeting Trump. In 2018, while working for Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a motorized paraglider over the resort where the president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee. The Arrests However, the activists were not especially worried about detainment. “All my anxiety is channelled into ensuring the protest works,” notes Oliver Knowles, another co-founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the message is already out.” The police response was swift, arriving in the lobby within three minutes, “really pumped up”, Knowles recalls. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They had located some protesters. They charged up the stairs; they were briefed; they were on a mission to safeguard the guest. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this calm.’” Stalling multiple police officers for six minutes. The fact that they didn’t know under what law to make arrests. Upon finally entering the room, “one officer began reciting a clause of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another told him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three other activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a stalking law. “and it’s very specific: it’s designed to address a really concerning offence. To throw it at an act of journalism, projected on to a wall, in defense of the reputation of the president, seemed contrary to the intent of the legislation,” Stewart remarks pointedly. While the others were detained, he melted into the crowd, then soon after boarded a train leaving Windsor, calling lawyers. A Second Arrest and Questioning Some time that night, while the activists sat in cells at Maidenhead police station, officers came in and re-arrested them, now for public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the sole available interrogators were from the child protection squad – a twist which was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned alleged sex offender. The activists just answered every question with: “I have no comment.” A few minutes into the interview, the officers slid over a photo: “‘Mr Knowles, did you take the drawer from this bedside table?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anybody else who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: an image of a large projector, ratchet-strapped to four drawers. Then, the officers were finding it hard to maintain their composure.” The Outcome A little more than a month later, all charges were dropped.