Former U.S. President Joe Biden was confronted and pelted with objects by protesters during an unannounced visit to Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, on Tuesday.
Police arrested at least two individuals following the incident, according to reports from NOS and VRT Nieuws.
The 83-year-old former president arrived unannounced at the university to attend a ceremony honoring his son, Hunter Biden. The student debating society, The Hist, awarded Hunter a gold medal for his contributions to public debate. Joe Biden watched the proceedings from the front row, accompanied by his wife, Jill Biden.
Outside the venue, pro-Palestinian demonstrators mobilized to protest the Biden administration’s support for Israel during his presidency. According to NOS, the crowd chanted slogans including “Genocide Joe” and “Blood on your hands.”
During his speech, Hunter Biden addressed the conflict in Gaza, characterizing the Israeli bombardments as “mass murder.” He stated, “I am in full agreement that what is happening in Gaza is absolutely and completely wrong.
There is no excuse for it.” He further defended his father, noting that during his time in office, the former president “tried to make the best possible decisions based on the information he had at that moment.”
The situation turned volatile as the Biden family exited the building. Demonstrators pushed forward, pelting the group with items, including cartons of milk. Security personnel were forced to shield the former president with umbrellas as they moved him toward a waiting vehicle.
Footage of the encounter captured police using a baton to restrain one individual during an arrest. The University Times reported that officers also deployed pepper spray to disperse the crowd. VRT Nieuws confirmed that Joe Biden remained uninjured during the incident.
The Dublin appearance occurs as the former president manages a diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. Ahead of the November 17 release of his memoirs, Promise Me, America, Biden noted on X that his health has constrained his public schedule.
“Some days are better than others,” he wrote. “That hasn’t stopped me. But sometimes it does slow me down.” Hunter Biden, who was convicted in 2024 on weapons and tax charges related to his past drug addiction, received a presidential pardon from his father at the end of the latter’s term.
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