Key takeaways
- Three men were arrested after pro-Palestinian protesters threw objects, reportedly including milk, at former US President Joe Biden outside Trinity College Dublin on November 10, 2026.
- Irish police said one man in his 50s has been charged and is due in court, while the other two were released without charge, and the specific charge has not been made public.
- Biden's surprise visit also included a private meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, which covered the Northern Ireland peace process and Ireland's EU Presidency.
- Two student unions have accused gardaí of excessive force and asked Trinity to revoke Biden's 2016 honorary doctorate, while Irish police have not yet responded in the sources reviewed.
Former US President Joe Biden, 83, was confronted by pro-Palestinian protesters outside Trinity College Dublin on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, as he left a ceremony honoring his son Hunter. Police in Ireland said on Wednesday, November 11, that three men were arrested after protesters pelted Biden with objects. The incident shows how the war in Gaza continues to shape the former president’s reception in Ireland, a country where he has long been popular because of his family roots.
Biden’s trip was a private, short-notice visit. He made a surprise appearance in Dublin on Tuesday and met Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Ireland’s prime minister. Later that day, Hunter Biden received an award at the university, and the demonstration formed around that event.
What happened during Joe Biden’s visit to Trinity College Dublin?
Hunter Biden was given the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution for Public Discourse by the College Historical Society, known as the Hist, which RTÉ describes as the world’s oldest student society. Jill Biden, the former first lady, accompanied her husband.
Protesters gathered outside during the event. According to TheJournal.ie, some people moved forward and objects were thrown as Biden left the venue. Videos showed protesters chanting “Blood on your hands” outside the college. White liquid, believed to be milk, was seen flying toward the group.
Trinity’s account is more restrained. College spokesperson Catherine O’Mahony told NBC News that a protest took place in Front Square and escalated while the Bidens were leaving. She said the Biden family left without incident and the protest dispersed soon afterward. UPI reported that no one was injured.
How many people were arrested, and what has the Garda said?
Early reports from RTÉ and TheJournal.ie counted two arrests. On Wednesday, police said three adult males had been arrested in relation to a public order incident at Trinity College Dublin. One man in his 50s has been charged and is due to appear in court, while the other two were released without charge. The police statement did not say what the man was charged with.
The policing itself is now contested. TheJournal.ie reported that around six gardaí were seen tackling two protesters to the ground, and that one garda used a baton on a protester being detained. Harper Alderson, editor of Trinity’s University Times, told RTÉ’s Drivetime that gardaí used pepper spray on two protesters. That is an allegation made by a student journalist, and the sources reviewed do not carry a Garda response to it.
According to reports citing a joint statement, Trinity’s students’ union and the national union AMLÉ described the demonstration as peaceful. They also called on Trinity to investigate and to revoke the honorary doctorate it granted to Biden in 2016. Trinity has not publicly responded to that demand in the sources reviewed.
What did Biden discuss with Ireland’s Taoiseach?
A government spokesman said the private meeting covered subjects close to Biden’s heart, including the Northern Ireland peace process and reconciliation. RTÉ reported it was also understood that the two men discussed the European Political Community meeting in Dublin on Thursday, Ireland’s hosting of the EU Presidency and wider international affairs.
Martin said they reminisced about Ireland, including Biden’s family connections to County Mayo. He described the former president as “a good-humoured man”. The Irish government has not, in the sources reviewed, commented on the protest itself.
Why does Gaza still shape Biden’s reception in Ireland?
NBC News noted that Ireland has long had historical solidarity with the Palestinian cause, and that Palestinian flags, murals and graffiti are common sights around the country. The New York Times, as reproduced by an aggregator, reported that support for Biden in Ireland cooled after Israel began its military offensive in Gaza. Protesters on Tuesday targeted him over his administration’s support for Israel, according to coverage by University Herald.
Gaza also surfaced inside the ceremony. The Irish Times reported that Hunter Biden described Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza as “mass murder” during the question session. JOE.ie reported that he said his father tried to make the best decisions with the information available, and that the current situation in Gaza is “absolutely and completely wrong”. Those remarks are Hunter Biden’s own and are not statements by the former president.
What is confirmed and what is disputed?
- Confirmed: the visit, the protest, the throwing of objects, and three arrests announced by An Garda Síochána on November 11.
- Confirmed: one man has been charged, though the offense has not been specified publicly.
- Disputed: the scale of force used by gardaí, which student unions call disproportionate and which rests on witness and union accounts so far.
- Unclear: whether Trinity will review the honorary doctorate or the Hist’s decision to invite the Bidens.
What to watch
- The court appearance of the man charged, which should reveal the specific offense.
- Any Garda or Irish government response to the allegations of pepper spray and baton use.
- Whether Trinity College Dublin responds to the unions’ request to revoke the 2016 honorary doctorate.
- Political reaction in Dublin around the European Political Community meeting on November 12 and Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency, where Gaza policy may resurface.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Joe Biden in Dublin?
According to RTÉ and the Irish Times, Biden made a surprise visit on November 10, 2026, to attend a ceremony at Trinity College Dublin where his son Hunter received the Hist's Gold Medal. He also met Taoiseach Micheál Martin privately, and the pair discussed the Northern Ireland peace process and reconciliation.
How many people were arrested at the Biden protest in Dublin?
Irish police said three adult males were arrested over a public order incident at Trinity College Dublin. One man in his 50s has been charged and is due in court. The other two were released without charge. Police did not specify the offense in their statement of November 11.
Why did protesters target Joe Biden in Ireland?
Demonstrators were protesting over Gaza, chanting slogans accusing Biden of responsibility for deaths there, according to NBC News and RTÉ. Ireland has a long tradition of solidarity with Palestinians, and reporting indicates that support for Biden in Ireland cooled after Israel's military offensive in Gaza began.
Sources
- Pro-Palestinian protesters pelt Biden with objects outside Irish university (NBC News)
- Two arrested after Joe Biden makes surprise Dublin visit (RTÉ)
- Former US president Joe Biden makes surprise appearance in Dublin (The Irish Times)
- 'Blood on your hands': Two detained at TCD protest (TheJournal.ie)
- Joe Biden Dublin visit: Taoiseach meeting and Trinity College surprise (JOE.ie)
- Dublin: Two Arrested In Protest Sparked By Joe Biden's Trinity College Visit (Nova)
- Pro-Palestinian protesters pelt Joe Biden during visit to Ireland (UPI)
- Pro-Palestinian protesters pelt objects at Biden outside Irish university
- Pro-Palestinian protesters pelt objects at Biden outside Irish university – AOL
- WATCH
Top image: N Chadwick / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
This article was produced by the Intelligence Report Desk. Sources are linked below.
