DUBLIN — Demonstrators hurled cartons of milk and hard projectiles at former US President Joe Biden outside Trinity College Dublin, triggering scuffles that ended with Irish police deploying pepper spray and detaining two people.
Security details scrambled umbrellas to shield the 83-year-old former president as milk cartons splashed around his motorcade. Hunter Biden followed closely behind. Neither the former president, former First Lady Jill Biden, nor Hunter Biden was struck by the flying projectiles, though one carton sailed directly toward a US Secret Service agent as Biden entered his vehicle.
The scuffle erupted outside the university's College Historical Society, where Hunter Biden had just accepted the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution for Public Discourse. Chants of "shame on you," "blood on your hands," and "genocide Joe" echoed across the campus gates, denouncing Biden’s foreign policy during the Gaza conflict.
Heavy police cordons failed to prevent the breach. Gardaí, the national police service of Ireland, moved in with pepper spray against the front line of demonstrators, taking at least two people into custody alongside a row of deployed police vans.
Trinity College student leadership quickly backed the demonstrators. In a joint statement, the Trinity College Dublin Students' Union and the national student body, Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn, defended the mobilization against the unannounced campus visit.
Students have every right to protest [Biden's] visit, challenge those in positions of power and demonstrate their solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Joint Statement, Trinity College Dublin Students' Union and Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn
Tens of thousands of demonstrators across Europe have repeatedly targeted Biden administration officials over military support provided to Israel throughout the Gaza war. Dublin proved no sanctuary. Despite high-level coordination between the US Secret Service and Irish diplomatic protection officers, protesters managed to close within throwing range of the former commander-in-chief.
| Security & Event Parameters | Official Record Details |
|---|---|
| Incident Location | Trinity College Dublin (College Historical Society) |
| Primary Target | Former US President Joe Biden (Age 83) |
| Accompanying Family | Jill Biden, Hunter Biden |
| Police Countermeasures | Pepper spray deployed; two arrests confirmed |
| Projectiles Deployed | Milk cartons and thrown objects |
| Injury Toll | Zero Biden family injuries recorded |
The Dublin visit represented an unusual public reemergence for Hunter Biden. In June 2024, a federal jury convicted Hunter Biden in the United States on felony gun and tax charges. His father issued an official presidential pardon during his final weeks in the Oval Office, clearing the legal slate and paving the way for Hunter's return to public platforms.
The unannounced trip to Ireland occurred as the elder Biden sharply restricts his public schedule. Biden previously scaled back an international book tour to manage aggressive prostate cancer diagnosed last year. In May 2025, Biden disclosed that the cancer had metastasized to his bones, requiring ongoing cycles of hormone therapy and targeted radiation.
Gardaí are processing the two detained demonstrators through local Dublin booking facilities, with formal public order charges expected before the Dublin District Court.