A Joe Biden mural in the centre of Dundalk has been vandalised, daubed with the words 'Free Palestine' and what appears to be 'war crimes' in red.
The mural, on Bachelors Walk, was painted in August, several months after the president's visit to Ireland, which included a stop in Co Louth, the home of one of his emigrant ancestors.
But the conflict in the Middle East has upped tensions considerably with many blaming the US, and President Biden, for facilitating the Israeli attack on Gaza, including by failing to strongly call on Israel to halt the bombing and invasion of Gaza. The president has called for a "humanitarian pause".
President Biden has become a target of protestors in Ireland and globally. In a huge march in Washington yesterday, protestors chanted: “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!” and “Hey hey! Ho ho! Genocide Joe has got to go!”
Separately, a petition was launched in recent days on change.org calling for the removal of another mural in Mayo, also a family home of the president.
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In Dundalk, the vandalised mural was created as part of August's SEEK Urban Arts Festival. It was painted by French artist Aero to commemorate the president's visit to the town in April.
