Anti-Israel agitators heckled former President Joe Biden in Dublin on Tuesday, and police arrested two people after someone threw an object.
Biden was leaving Trinity College when someone hurled the object, which an umbrella blocked near the former president.
The former president, 83, made a surprise appearance alongside former first lady Jill Biden, according to The Independent.
They were there for their son Hunter Biden, who accepted the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse.
The crowd gathered outside while the ceremony was underway, then confronted Biden as he left the building for his motorcade.
People in the crowd shouted obscenities as Biden walked from the building to the vehicle waiting to take him away.
Video posted online shows officers detaining people at the scene while members of the crowd shouted accusations about Biden’s record.
“Blood, blood, blood on your hands!” the crowd chanted as Irish police detained people outside the venue.
Biden was escorted into a waiting vehicle, and the motorcade pulled away quickly as officers dealt with the crowd.
The agitators turned their attention to police after the vehicles left, shouting at officers who remained outside the college.
“Shame on you!” people in the crowd chanted at officers after Biden’s motorcade drove away.
Fox News Digital contacted the former president’s office for comment on the confrontation during his visit to Ireland.
The Dublin confrontation followed years of criticism of Biden from anti-Israel activists over his administration’s support for the Jewish state.
That fight began during Biden’s presidency after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing civilians and taking hostages.
Israel responded with a military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, where the fighting killed and displaced Palestinian civilians.
The Biden administration backed Israel’s right to defend itself following the attacks and continued providing military assistance during the war.
Progressive Democrats and human rights advocates were among those who criticized his handling of the war and urged policy changes.
Some activists called him “Genocide Joe,” a label aimed at his decision to keep sending American military assistance to Israel.
Critics argued the aid enabled Israeli operations that killed Palestinian civilians and drove others from their homes in Gaza.
Military experts cited by Fox News said Israel took unprecedented steps to limit civilian casualties while targeting Hamas in cities.
The dispute centered in part on how Israel could strike Hamas operating in densely populated areas while protecting Palestinian civilians.
Biden traveled to Israel in October 2023, less than two weeks after the Hamas attacks, and met with Israeli leaders.
During that visit, he also announced American humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
His administration continued to back Israel militarily while pressing its government to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Biden signed a foreign aid package in April 2024 that included funding for Israel alongside assistance for Ukraine and Taiwan.
The Republican-led House passed the Israel aid bill with bipartisan support before the broader package cleared the Senate.
The administration paused a shipment of heavy bombs amid concerns about their potential use in the crowded city of Rafah.
The pause drew criticism from Republicans who argued the United States should stand firmly behind Israel as it fought Hamas.
Progressive activists continued pressing Biden to impose broader restrictions on American weapons transfers as fighting in Gaza continued.
The war also became a flashpoint on American college campuses, where protests over Israel and Gaza spread in 2024.
Protests followed Biden during the presidential campaign, with activists using public appearances to demand a ceasefire and oppose military aid.
