Four men were arrested after images of US President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto the walls of Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening as the president arrived in the United Kingdom for a state visit, Thames Valley Police said.
The men were detained on suspicion of "malicious communications following a public stunt in Windsor" and remained in custody as detectives opened an investigation, the force said. Officers said they had responded "swiftly" to stop the projection.
Thames Valley Police identified those arrested as a 60-year-old man from East Sussex, a 36-year-old and a 50-year-old from London, and a 37-year-old from Kent. The force did not immediately provide further details about how the images were projected or the equipment used.
Trump arrived in London late on Tuesday and spent the night at the US ambassador's residence. He is scheduled to meet King Charles at Windsor Castle on the first full day of the state visit on Wednesday. Authorities had warned of planned protests and mounted a significant police operation in Windsor ahead of the visit.
The images combined an image of Trump and one of Jeffrey Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Trump was known to have social ties with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s; he has never been officially accused of wrongdoing in connection with the financier.
The projection stunt came a week after the prime minister removed the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States, Lord Peter Mandelson, amid controversy over his reported ties to Epstein, a development that added sensitivity to the high-profile diplomatic visit. Organisers of the projection stunt were not publicly identified at the time of the arrests.
Thames Valley Police said enquiries were continuing and appealed for anyone with information, including video footage or images of the incident, to come forward. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said that officers were supporting partners in Windsor but did not provide further comment on the arrests.
The state visit marks one of several high-visibility engagements for Trump in London this week, and it has drawn sustained public attention and opposition. Police and security services have been handling a range of demonstrations and security measures around royal and diplomatic sites as the president moves between official events.
Investigations into the projection and the circumstances of the arrests are ongoing, and authorities said further updates would be provided as lines of enquiry develop.