US President Donald Trump arrived in the United Kingdom on Tuesday evening for his second state visit, greeted warmly at London's Stansted Airport alongside his wife, Melania.
However, in Windsor, the site of his upcoming royal hosting, protesters took bold action to draw attention to his historical ties with the late Jeffrey Epstein.
The demonstration unfolded just after Trump's landing, with images of the president alongside the convicted sex offender projected onto the walls of Windsor Castle.
Organized by the activist group Led by Donkeys, the projections appeared minutes after the presidential plane touched down.
These visuals not only featured Trump and Epstein but also included Epstein with Britain's Prince Andrew, who faced accusations from one of Epstein's victims, Virginia Giuffre.
Prince Andrew denied the claims and settled a related lawsuit in 2022 for an undisclosed sum.
Additionally, the display incorporated a purported birthday letter from Trump to Epstein, which Democrats in the US House released on September 8, though the White House denied its authenticity.
The letter, part of a 2003 book celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday, depicted a dialogue where Trump referred to Epstein as a "pal" and wished him "another wonderful secret," accompanied by a sketch of a naked woman's silhouette.
This incident followed an earlier protest where demonstrators from the Stop Trump Coalition gathered outside the castle, waving flags and banners with messages like "Go away. You are polluting Windsor."
On Monday, the group Everyone Hates Elon unveiled a large banner showing Trump and Epstein on the castle grounds, which authorities later removed.
A spokesperson for Everyone Hates Elon commented on the ongoing relevance, noting Trump's attempt to escape scrutiny through the royal visit.
Thames Valley Police responded swiftly, arresting four individuals on suspicion of malicious communications related to the unauthorized projection.
Chief Superintendent Felicity Parker stated, “We take any unauthorised activity around Windsor Castle extremely seriously.”
The force described the event as a public stunt and confirmed the suspects remained in custody as investigations continued.
Security measures were already heightened for the visit, with the firearms unit and specialist search teams deployed to Windsor.
A police spokesperson emphasized the comprehensive operation to address any high-level threats during the president's stay from September 17 to 19.
Trump's past association with Epstein, who died in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges, has resurfaced amid calls for the full release of Epstein files.
The two socialized decades ago, but Trump distanced himself after a falling out, stating in 2019, “I had a falling out with him. I haven’t spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you.”
Despite this, the issue persists as a point of contention for protesters during the state visit.
The royal welcome by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle on Wednesday underscores the diplomatic pomp, contrasting sharply with the activist backlash.
Trump highlighted the historic nature of the second visit and anticipated discussions on a US-UK trade agreement with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Previous actions by groups like Everyone Hates Elon included displaying the Trump-Epstein photo near the US embassy in July and a poster with Trump's 2002 quote praising Epstein as a "terrific guy."
These efforts aim to keep the Epstein connections in the public eye throughout Trump's UK tour.