🔗 Share this article What Happened Next: The Night Led By Donkeys Beamed Images of Trump and Epstein onto Windsor Castle When the announcement was made 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 felt compelled to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed particularly craven. Their next art-activist event unfolded like clockwork. A Deliberate Message Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in documents from the investigation into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s first arrest and has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, said group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, on top of a public rubbish bin outside. The world’s media had gathered, 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 simply makes Trump uneasy. The film we made gives people a social object to share, implying: ‘This is something really serious to examine here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.” The Reveal It started with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.” A History of Activism This was not the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first effort against Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee. Confrontation with Police But, the group's creators were not especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy is channelled into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the die is cast.” Officers was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They charged up the stairs; prepared; they were on a mission to protect the president. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this really calm.’” Delaying multiple police officers for six minutes. The fact that officers didn’t know which law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “one officer began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a stalking law. “The law is precise: it’s designed to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect 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, shortly thereafter 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 arrested them again, now for causing a public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – a twist that was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists just answered all queries with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, the officers slid over a photograph: “They asked, did you take the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: an image of a large projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the officers struggled to keep a straight face.” The Final Result Just over a month later, all charges was dismissed.
When the announcement was made 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 felt compelled to ensure it did not go without a statement. The gesture of offering a lavish welcome seemed particularly craven. Their next art-activist event unfolded like clockwork. A Deliberate Message Activists created a short documentary exploring the connections with notorious figure Jeffrey Epstein. Its ending stated: “The commander-in-chief of the United States was a longstanding associate of America’s most notorious sex offender. His name is said to be mentioned, numerous times, in documents from the investigation into Epstein … Now that president, Donald Trump, is sleeping here in Windsor Castle.” (In response, Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein long prior to Epstein’s first arrest and has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.) Preparations and Execution The group had booked rooms in the nearby Harte and Garter hotel, rooms advertised with views of the castle and, more crucially, superior castle views, said group founder, Ben Stewart. They utilized a powerful 32,000-lumen projector. To broadcast sound, Stewart positioned a wireless speaker, concealed inside a cereal box, on top of a public rubbish bin outside. The world’s media had gathered, 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 simply makes Trump uneasy. The film we made gives people a social object to share, implying: ‘This is something really serious to examine here.’ It was a piece of guerrilla journalism about Trump and Epstein, and it was viewed by millions.” The Reveal It started with the official Windsor Castle logo. “It requires a cylindrical building needs a little bit of mapping,” Stewart states. “First appeared this royal crest. The police likely thought: ‘How pleasant – the royal family,’ and then abruptly a great big picture of Jeffrey Epstein appears. A wave of shock goes through the police in fluorescent jackets nearby, and they all pile into the hotel.” A History of Activism This was not the group’s first rodeo; nor was it their first effort against Trump. Back in 2018, during his time with Greenpeace, Stewart piloted a paraglider over the resort where the then-president was staying in Scotland. The following year, officers warned him that any repeat, they couldn’t guarantee. Confrontation with Police But, the group's creators were not especially worried about arrest. “My nervous energy is channelled into wanting the action to succeed,” says Oliver Knowles, a fellow founder. “By the time the police make the intervention, the die is cast.” Officers was rapid, reaching the hotel within three minutes, “really pumped up”, he remembers. “Wearing tactical gear and caps. They’d finally found the culprits. They charged up the stairs; prepared; they were on a mission to protect the president. Thankfully, no firearms. But they were extremely tense upon entering the room. I had to say: ‘We should keep this really calm.’” Delaying multiple police officers for six minutes. The fact that officers didn’t know which law to make arrests. When they finally entered the room, “one officer began reciting a section of the Town and Country Planning Act, before another asked him to stop as it was incorrect.” Knowles and three additional activists were then arrested for malicious communication, a stalking law. “The law is precise: it’s designed to deal with a really concerning offence. Applying it to a piece of journalism, displayed on a wall, to protect 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, shortly thereafter 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 arrested them again, now for causing a public nuisance, having decided more likely to succeed. During interrogation, the only officers available were from the child protection squad – a twist that was palpable, given the subject matter of the protest concerned Jeffrey Epstein. The activists just answered all queries with: “I have no comment.” Shortly after starting the interview, the officers slid over a photograph: “They asked, did you take the drawer from this nightstand?’ ‘No comment.’ ‘Mr Knowles, do you know anyone who may have had cause to take the drawer?’ ‘No comment.’ I knew the next move: an image of a large projector, secured to several drawers. Then, the officers struggled to keep a straight face.” The Final Result Just over a month later, all charges was dismissed.