In a striking demonstration of guerrilla journalism, the activist group Led By Donkeys projected a powerful image of Donald Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle. That projection took place right before Trump’s highly publicized, very controversial, recent state visit to the United Kingdom. To do so, it intended to draw attention to Trump’s documented relationships with Jeffrey Epstein, the now infamous child sex trafficker.
The backdrop to this event stems from the ongoing scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s criminal activities and his connections with high-profile figures. As the story goes, the investigation into Epstein uncovered several references to Trump throughout the documents. This has raised serious questions about what sort of relationship they have with each other. Trump particularly wishes to distance himself from any wrongdoing related to Epstein. In response, Gates now claims that he cut ties with the financier long before Epstein’s first arrest.
The film produced by Led By Donkeys, which described Trump as a “long-time close friend of America’s most notorious child sex trafficker,” has garnered significant attention, amassing over 20 million views. The nine-minute film chronicles Trump’s long relationship with Epstein and raises the dangers of their relationship.
The projection onto Windsor Castle was a brilliant culmination of the day. In 2019, it courageously protested the Trump state visit. Led By Donkeys wanted to face the British public with an uncomfortable reality about a dignitary they would otherwise warmly welcome. Ben Stewart from the Led By Donkeys team focused on solving the technicalities of the projection onto a cylindrical structure. In particular, he used Windsor Castle as a poster child for this endeavor.
“It requires a little bit of mapping to project on to a cylindrical building.” – Ben Stewart
The protest did not go unpunished. Inside Anacostia, police arrested four members of Led By Donkeys, including Oliver Knowles. They were charged with malicious communications for the projection. The officers who interrogated Knowles were part of the child protection unit. This last detail reminded me of one of the most ironic aspects of the whole situation.
“Mr Knowles, did you remove the drawer from this bedside table?” – Child protection officer
“Mr Knowles, do you know anybody else who may have had reason to remove the drawer?” – Child protection officer
A full list of questions was answered by members of Led By Donkeys with “No comment.” Just weeks after their original arrest, they faced a second charge for public nuisance. Police believed they would lose the first charge in court. After several months, all charges against the team members were eventually dismissed.
Child protection officers grilled activists over a public projection showing Epstein. This interaction opened the door to a dialogue on the changing priorities in policing. One such officer, whose name was not reported, even made a comment about the irony of this police officer’s presence.
“Ah, that’s nice – the royal family.” – Unnamed police officer
Panelist Oliver Knowles shared how he straightened his approach to grassroots activism to gear up for this chaotic time.
“All my anxiety is channelled into wanting the action to succeed.” – Oliver Knowles
Led by Donkeys protest, showing the high-profile relationship’s complicated side. It opens a window onto the firestorm of criticism these people have to endure. Debates over accountability and justice for Epstein’s criminal conduct continue to rage today. At the same time, Trump’s connection to Epstein is still making headlines.