and then the fact that they throw milk or pour milk on him? I'm not sure how that works... I don't know how you "throw" milk, but whatever the case may be, he apparently got some milk on him. Aww, poor Joe 😀😃😄
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During a surprise visit to Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, former U.S. President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden were targeted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators who hurled milk cartons and other projectiles at their motorcade.
The Bidens were on campus to watch their son, Hunter Biden, receive the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse from the College Historical Society, the world's oldest undergraduate student debating society.
As the family exited the Exam Hall, dozens of protesters waving Palestinian flags surrounded their security detail, chanting slogans to criticize the former administration's foreign policy and support for Israel during the war in Gaza.
Security personnel used black umbrellas to shield the family as they entered their vehicle, while officers from An Garda Síochána intervened, deployed pepper spray, and arrested three men in connection with the disruption. The Biden family departed safely without physical injury.
The decision to honor Hunter Biden struck many observers as surprising or even satirical, given his history of federal gun and tax convictions, leaked laptop scandals, and controversial public statements.
However, the award is a real, long-standing distinction presented by the student society, commonly known as The Hist.
Founded in 1770, the organization has previously awarded its Gold Medal to prominent figures across culture and politics, including Desmond Tutu, Bob Geldof, Patti Smith, Julian Assange, and former Irish President Michael D. Higgins.
According to the society, Hunter Biden was selected for speaking candidly about his struggles with substance abuse and recovery despite intense media scrutiny, as well as for his recent commentary on American politics and media.
During his acceptance speech, Hunter Biden directly addressed the backlash, speaking about living in an era of political bullying and thanking his father for supporting him through addiction.
The contrast between the student society honoring the Biden family and the campus protesters pelting them with milk highlights the complex political landscape at Trinity College Dublin.
While the university has an active progressive student body—exemplified by the Trinity College Dublin Students' Union, whose 2024 encampments pushed the school to commit to divestment from Israeli companies—the institution itself cannot be summed up by a single political label.
The Hist operates independently of both the university administration and the activist student union, regularly inviting guests across the political spectrum to spark debate, from progressive figures like former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to Irish center-right ministers like Mary Harney and Paschal Donohoe.
Furthermore, Trinity was founded in 1592 as a conservative, establishment institution and counts Edmund Burke, the philosophical founder of modern conservatism, among its most famous alumni.
Ultimately, the events in Dublin reflected a uniquely Irish political environment, where progressive student activism, independent debating traditions, and center-right mainstream politics intersect in ways that do not neatly mirror the partisan divides of the United States.
Sources and Links:
The New York Times: https://nytimes.com
Newsweek Video Report: https://facebook.com
The University Times: https://universitytimes.ie
College Historical Society: https://thehist.com
Trinity College Dublin Students' Union: https://tcdsu.org
