Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Sprayed with Unknown Liquid During Town Hall Event

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was targeted with an unknown substance during an event she hosted on Tuesday, after an audience member used a syringe to spray liquid at her, Minneapolis police reported.

Omar was unharmed and continued her remarks. “I’m ok. I’m a survivor, so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win,” she later posted on X.

Authorities have yet to determine the nature of the liquid. A journalist present at the event described it as having a sour chemical-like odor.

The suspect, 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak, has been charged with third-degree assault and is currently in custody, according to the local sheriff’s office.

Omar, a Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of US President Donald Trump and his immigration policies in Minnesota, where two US citizens were recently fatally shot. In response to the second fatal shooting, Trump said his administration was “going to de-escalate a little bit.”

During the event, Omar called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has faced scrutiny over its operations in the state. She also criticized DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, calling for her resignation or impeachment over recent incidents.

Earlier this month, US citizen Renee Good was fatally shot by an immigration officer, followed by Alex Pretti, who was killed after being stopped by border agents, sparking local and national protests. It was after Omar’s comments on Noem that she was attacked.

As Kazmierczak was removed from the venue, he reportedly said Omar was “pitting us against each other,” though it was unclear what he meant. The suspect was arrested immediately, and forensic investigations were conducted at the scene.

Despite calls from officials to end the event, Omar continued speaking, telling attendees, “We will continue… we are Minnesota strong,” and later adding, “We’re gonna keep talking. Just give me ten minutes. Please don’t let them have the show.”

One attendee, Alfred Flowers Jr., praised Omar’s courage, noting her determination to finish the town hall. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the attack, stating, “Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk… This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated in our city.”

The event drew around 100 attendees in a north Minneapolis basement, who came to discuss the presence of federal immigration officers and recent shootings. Omar, who became the first Somali-American and first African-born American woman elected to the US Congress in 2019, regularly hosts such town halls.

Trump’s immigration operation in Minneapolis began in December after Somali immigrants were convicted in a large-scale welfare fraud case. The state has the largest Somali-American community in the country. Many locals have suggested the operation may be politically motivated, given Trump’s frequent personal attacks on Omar.

Earlier this month, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Omar “should be in jail, or even face a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia,” adding that she could “help to MAKE SOMALIA GREAT AGAIN!”