Irish authorities detained three individuals Tuesday after pro-Palestinian protesters hurled objects and clashed with officers outside Trinity College Dublin while former President Joe Biden attended an event honoring his son Hunter Biden.
Video recordings from the scene showed demonstrators chanting slogans including “Blood on your hands” and “Genocide Joe” as the former president, 83, and former first lady Jill Biden prepared to leave the college grounds, NBC News and the New York Post reported. Footage captured white liquid, which appeared to be milk, flying through the air toward the motorcade, prompting aides to deploy an umbrella to shield the former president from incoming debris.
Tense Confrontation Outside Student Society
The disturbance took place in Trinity College Dublin’s Front Square shortly after a ceremony hosted by the College Historical Society, known as the Hist. The society, which traces its roots to 1770, awarded Hunter Biden its gold medal for outstanding contribution to public discourse. Previous honorees have included Julian Assange, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, according to NBC News.
During his remarks, Hunter Biden discussed his struggles with addiction, his personal life, and his experience under heavy public scrutiny. “We are living in an age of bullies,” he said during his speech, remarking that the lesson had come from his own life experiences.
A spokesperson for the university, Catherine O’Mahony, said in a statement to NBC News that the gathering outside increased in intensity as the Biden family prepared to depart. She said members of Ireland’s national police service, the Gardaí, arrived promptly, allowing the Bidens to leave without further incident before the crowd dispersed.
Police Response and Arrests
Irish police stated Wednesday that three adult men were arrested in connection with the public order incident at the university, NBC News reported. Authorities confirmed that one man in his 50s was charged and scheduled to appear before a judge, while two other detained men were released without charge. Police did not specify the exact offense filed against the man who was charged.
The Bidens also met with Micheál Martin, Ireland’s Taoiseach, during their trip abroad. Martin wrote on social media that the leaders discussed Biden’s strong Irish ancestry and acknowledged his continued engagement with the country, according to NBC News.
Demonstrators at the Dublin event waved Palestinian flags and voiced frustration over the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Ireland has long maintained widespread political sympathy for Palestinians, drawing historical comparisons between that region and Ireland’s historical experiences under British rule, NBC News noted.
Memoir and Health Treatment
The overseas appearance occurred as Biden manages ongoing medical care. Months after concluding his term in the White House in January 2025, Biden disclosed a diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer, which he has treated with radiation and hormone therapy, NBC News reported.
In a social media statement posted Sunday, Biden acknowledged that the treatment sometimes slows him down, explaining that he will restrict his scheduled public appearances to promote his upcoming White House memoir, “Promise Me, America.” The book is slated for publication on Nov. 17. The specific charges against the protester held in Dublin and the court date remain undisclosed by Irish authorities.
