Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked by a man who sprayed an unknown liquid at her during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday night, according to local police. The Minnesota congresswoman was uninjured and continued speaking after the incident.
Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, Minneapolis police confirmed. The suspect used a syringe to spray the unknown liquid onto Omar as she was delivering remarks at the Urban League Twin Cities facility.
Video from C-SPAN captured the moment when Kazmierczak rushed toward the podium where Omar was speaking. Security personnel quickly tackled him to the ground after a brief struggle before escorting him from the building. The incident sparked cries of alarm from audience members.
Omar had been calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and demanding that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem resign or face impeachment immediately before the assault occurred.
View on Threads
After local leaders who spoke at the event urged her to leave and get checked, Omar refused, saying that is what they want. She used profanity to emphasize her determination to continue, telling the audience that the attackers would not get away with it.
As Omar resumed her remarks, she told the crowd that people like the attacker do not understand that Minnesotans are strong and will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at them. Her comments were met with cheers from constituents.
Minneapolis police said forensic scientists responded to the scene to analyze the substance. Authorities have not disclosed further information about the liquid sprayed on Omar or any additional charges against Kazmierczak.
View on Threads
Public records indicate Kazmierczak’s criminal history dates back to 1989, when he was charged and later pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Omar wrote on social media platform X shortly after the event that she was okay and called herself a survivor, adding that the small agitator would not intimidate her from doing her work. She expressed gratitude to her constituents who rallied behind her.
President Trump, who has frequently criticized Omar, accused her without evidence of staging the attack in a phone interview with ABC News Tuesday night. Trump told the network’s Rachel Scott that he had not seen video of the incident, adding that Omar probably had herself sprayed. When asked for a response, Trump said he did not think about her and believed she was a fraud.
View on Threads
The attack drew swift condemnation from political leaders across the spectrum. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he was horrified, stating that political violence of any kind is never acceptable. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the attack a despicable act of political violence and intimidation.
Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who has often disagreed with Omar politically, condemned the attack. Mace wrote on social media that regardless of how vehemently she disagrees with Omar’s rhetoric, no elected official should face physical attacks.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents this month. Renee Good was killed earlier in January, and Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents on Saturday.
View on Threads
Omar, a Somali American and former refugee, has been a vocal opponent of Operation Metro Surge, the large-scale ICE enforcement operation launched in December targeting undocumented immigrants in Minneapolis. She has faced criticism from conservatives for her opposition to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and her progressive stances on issues including immigration reform.
The congresswoman made history in 2018 as one of the first two Muslim women elected to the U.S. Congress. She was reelected for a third term in 2024, representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.
The attack represents the latest incident of political violence in the United States. Three days prior, Representative Maxwell Frost of Florida reported being assaulted at the Sundance Festival by a man who told him that Trump was going to deport him before punching him in the face.
Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked with an unknown substance at a Minneapolis town hall on Tuesday night. A 55-year-old man was arrested after rushing the stage and spraying liquid at the congresswoman while she called for ICE abolition and DHS Secretary Noem’s resignation.
