Two people have been arrested following a protest outside Trinity College Dublin during a surprise visit by former US president Joe Biden.
Mr Biden was joined by his wife, former first lady Jill Biden, as they attended a ceremony where his son Hunter was awarded the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse by the university's oldest student society.
A group of pro-Palestinian protesters had gathered outside the event to voice their opposition to the visit.
As the Biden family left the venue following the ceremony, some members of the crowd moved forward and objects, including milk, were thrown.
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Gardaí from the public order unit were present at the scene, with at least two people arrested following the incident.
Footage from the protest also showed a garda using a baton on one of the protesters as they were being detained.
The visit comes as Mr Biden prepares for the release of his upcoming memoir, Promise Me, America, on November 17.
However, the former president recently announced that he would be scaling back promotional appearances as he continues treatment for aggressive prostate cancer.
Mr Biden revealed his diagnosis in May 2025, four months after leaving the White House. The cancer had spread to his bones, and he has since undergone radiation and hormone therapy.
His son Hunter said in August that the disease had spread further and was causing his father considerable pain.
Former President Joe Biden says his battle with cancer is forcing him to scale back plans for a promotional tour of his upcoming presidential memoir.
"Some days are better than others. It hasn't stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down," the 83-year-old writes, acknowledging he won't be able to make as many appearances as he had hoped.
Biden was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that spread to his bones in May 2025. He says his doctors remain encouraged by his response to treatment.
His new book also revisits one of the most consequential decisions of his presidency. See what he plans to address: https://t.co/xIjsTKsLe2
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 9, 2026
Despite this, Mr Biden said his doctors "continue to be encouraged" by his response to treatment.
In a statement shared on X, he said: "Some days are better than others. It hasn't stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down."
He added that he would be unable to take part in as many conversations about his book as originally planned, but remained hopeful that readers would connect with its contents.
During his visit to Dublin, Mr Biden and his family also met Taoiseach Micheál Martin at a hotel in the capital.
The Taoiseach said the pair reminisced about Ireland, including Mr Biden's family connections to County Mayo and the county's All-Ireland success in July.
Very pleased to welcome former US President @JoeBiden and his family to Dublin.
We reflected on his strong Irish roots and previous visits, appreciating his lifelong support for Ireland. https://t.co/aol5ikpih5
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) November 10, 2026
Mr Martin recalled how he reminded the former president of his previous visit to Ireland, when he famously said "Mayo for Sam".
He said: "I pointed out to him that the last time he was in Ireland he said 'Mayo for Sam' and I said eventually Mayo for Sam came through, albeit a bit later than maybe the president would have liked."
They also discussed stories about Mr Biden's late mother and her time staying at Hillsborough Castle.
Describing the meeting, Mr Martin said the former president was "a good-humoured man".
He also thanked Mr Biden for his "enduring friendship to Ireland and support for Ireland".
The meeting is understood to have covered the Northern Ireland peace process, reconciliation, Thursday's European Political Community meeting in Dublin and Ireland's upcoming EU Presidency, alongside wider international affairs.
