By Lexi Stroud

Trinity College Dublin has faced criticism from Dubliners over its award of an honorary doctorate to former US Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton.

A small number of protesters gathered outside the main gates on Friday 22 June, led by the Irish Anti-War Movement in tandem with TCD Students for Justice in Palestine. The Workers’ Party TCD also organised a protest that day.

Protesters called Clinton a ‘warmonger’ for her support of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as her involvement in the investigation of a Nato bombing in Libya.

A statement from Students for Justice in Palestine said the protests were intended to “send a message to Clinton and Trinity’s out-of-touch administration”. The Workers’ Party TCD stated that Clinton’s politics are not an “antidote to Trumpism”.

Clinton was one of five doctorate honourees recognised by Trinity on the day, alongside US philanthropist Dr James Simons; Paul Drechsler, president of the Confederation of British Industry; Ann Rowan, archivist at the Irish Architectural Archive; and Dr Tony Scott, co-founder of the Young Scientist Exhibition.