Violent clashes and arrests took place Tuesday evening in Dublin following a surprise visit by former US President Joe Biden, his wife Jill, and their son Hunter to Trinity College.
The family arrived for a special ceremony at the university in which Hunter Biden was awarded a gold medal for "outstanding contribution to public discourse" by the college's Historical Society. But the Bidens' arrival quickly sparked an angry storm from pro-Palestinian protest groups who gathered outside the hall to demonstrate against Biden's support for Israel during the fighting in Gaza.
The protest, which began outside the university's historic reading room, escalated rapidly. The shouts and chants of demonstrators from the main courtyard were so loud they could be clearly heard inside the examination hall where the ceremony was taking place.
Protesters hurled harsh epithets at the former president, calling him "Genocide Joe" and shouting sharp condemnations at his entourage. As the Biden family finished the event under heavy Secret Service protection, part of the crowd tried to break through toward the motorcade vehicles, surrounding the cars and throwing objects and milk cartons at them.
Following the serious escalation and the danger to the convoy's security, reinforced police units were called to the scene along with public order vehicles. Irish police officers forced to deal with the agitated crowd used pepper spray to push back the demonstrators and allow the former president's motorcade to leave the area. Local police and college administration reported that at least two protesters were arrested during the incident. In an official statement from Trinity College, it was noted that the protest escalated mainly as the family was leaving, but ultimately the Biden family managed to leave the scene unharmed, and the demonstration dispersed shortly afterward.
During his Dublin visit, Biden also met with Ireland's Taoiseach (prime minister), Micheál Martin, who congratulated the former president and noted on social media that he was pleased to host the family and discuss the Biden family's deep Irish roots.
The awarding of the prestigious medal to Hunter Biden had already drawn considerable interest, given that it is one of the Historical Society's most distinguished honors, previously awarded to notable figures including former Irish President Michael D. Higgins, Bob Geldof, Patti Smith, Julian Assange, and Desmond Tutu. The honor was granted after Hunter was convicted in 2024 on weapons and tax charges in the United States, a conviction that made him the first son of a sitting president to be convicted of crimes, until he received a presidential pardon from his father at the end of his White House term. The current visit to Ireland, which was meant to be a family tribute event, ultimately turned into a stormy protest scene in the heart of Dublin.
