Police have arrested four activists from Led By Donkeys after they projected images of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle. They lit up the royal walls with a supposed birthday message Trump wrote to the convicted pedophile, clips of Epstein’s crimes, and photos of his victims — just hours before Trump’s state visit to the UK. Thames Valley Police accused the four of ‘malicious communications’ and are still holding them in custody.
However, a spokesperson from Led By Donkeys said:
Forgive the cliche, but it is rather Orwellian for a piece of journalism, which raises questions about our guest’s relationship with America’s most notorious child sex trafficker to lead to arrests.
We’re constantly told, you know, we need to see peaceful protests. Well, here’s a peaceful protest … We projected a piece of journalism on to a wall and now people have been arrested for malicious communications. I think that, frankly, says a lot more about the policing of Trump’s visit than it does about what we did.
Led By Donkeys organise warm welcome for Trump
Activists used the castle’s walls as a giant screen to expose what they call “unfinished business” around Trump’s ties to Epstein. The projection was far from subtle:
Images of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein beamed on Windsor Castle ahead of US president's visit.
Campaign group Led By Donkeys beams a video with images of US President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto a tower at Windsor Castle. Trump is due in Windsor… pic.twitter.com/u8kb6qFZ9l
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 17, 2025
The images spread fast online. ITV’s Chris Ship, reporting live from Windsor, called it an awkward start to Trump’s visit.
Oh dear. Not such a great diplomatic start. Protesters managed to project images of Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump and Prince Andrew onto the outside walls of Windsor Castle. #Trump #statevisit pic.twitter.com/yO0fnqk5Sa
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) September 16, 2025
The royal walls became an accidental cinema screen. Not for crown jewels or state pomp, but for Trump’s long shadow — the one the establishment would rather we all forget.
If Trump hoped for a red-carpet welcome, he got Windsor Castle lit up with receipts instead:
An awkward start to the state visit: the campaign group Led By Donkeys are projecting images of Donald Trump together with Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle: pic.twitter.com/3tNF1guBWK
— Finlay Duncan (@FinlayD) September 16, 2025
When the walls of Windsor are screaming Epstein louder than the protestors outside, “awkward” feels generous.
However, police didn’t find it funny. Within hours, they slapped cuffs on four people — apparently because projecting images on royal stone now counts as “malicious communications.”
Journalist Idrees Ali pointed out the timing: the projection came just after Trump landed. A big hello from Britain, delivered in 40-foot-high letters.
An image of U.S. President Donald Trump alongside disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein is projected on Windsor castle, after Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrival for a state visit to the country, in Windsor, Berkshire, Britain September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble pic.twitter.com/m65T7heKjA
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) September 17, 2025
The projection didn’t just lampoon Trump. It dragged Epstein back into the spotlight — though you wouldn’t know it from the language in much of the coverage. Reports still describe him as a “disgraced financier.” Let’s be clear: Epstein wasn’t just disgraced. He was an abuser, a trafficker, a predator. Every time outlets hide behind euphemisms, they protect power and dull the edge of truth.
An annoyingly clear divide in opinions
Speaking of bypassing the brutality of one’s actions — some have responded to the ‘exposé’ with baselessness. Michael Shrimpton, clearly a traditionalist, seems more concerned about the sanctity of castle walls than the reality of abuse:
It cannot be legal to project images onto a Royal castle, good to see that four arrests have been made over the outrage at Windsor.
— Michael Shrimpton (@RealM_Shrimpton) September 17, 2025
Whereas, others pointed out the real danger wasn’t protest, but selective censorship:
Four arrests after Trump and Epstein images projected on Windsor Castle.
Selective free speech in operation again. The full force of the law coming down on anyone being critical of Donald Trump.
Welcome to your vassalage, Brits.https://t.co/YfKBHjf44s
— KᗩTE ᗰᗩᖇTIᑎ
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
(@KateMhartain) September 17, 2025
Irony
Windsor Castle has survived sieges, fires, and centuries of scandal. This time, though, it has survived a projection — and the state still hauled four people into custody. Consequently, the irony writes itself.
For some, the outrage is about protecting historic walls. For others, the outrage is about a deeper danger: when truth lit up in public is treated as more criminal than the abuse it exposes.
At its core, that’s the divide: walls over truth, or truth over walls.
Beyond that, projectors are cheap, but censorship is costly. Each time the state cracks down, the spectacle only grows. Four arrests won’t erase the images burned into the public imagination. In the end, Trump may get his red-carpet visit, but Led By Donkeys just lit up his shadow — and it will not fade.
Featured image via YouTube screenshot/ETimes
This post was originally published on Canary.

(@KateMhartain)