Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked during her first in-person town hall of the year in Minneapolis this week. A man in the audience stood up, started shouting, and sprayed her with an unknown liquid from a syringe. The Minnesota Democrat had just begun speaking on Tuesday when the incident happened.
People at the North Minneapolis community center were shocked as the scene unfolded. Attendees said the liquid had an acidic smell, raising serious safety concerns. This kind of security threat should never happen to anyone, especially an elected official doing their job.
Despite the danger and not knowing what the substance was, Omar refused to end the event. According to The Guardian, Minneapolis council member LaTrisha Vetaw asked her to leave early to get checked out, but Omar insisted on continuing. “Ten minutes, I beg you … please don’t let them have the show,” she told her security team.
Omar’s courageous stand against intimidation showed true Minnesota strength
After a security guard quickly tackled the attacker to the ground, the room broke into applause as he was escorted out. Omar then delivered a powerful message to the audience. “Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand, is that we are Minnesota strong,” she said. “I learned at a young age that you don’t give into threats.”
The attacker was identified as 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak through jail records. He was arrested and charged with third-degree assault, then booked into Hennepin County jail. Minneapolis police spokesperson Trevor Folke said forensics teams were called to investigate the liquid.
The US Capitol Police quickly released a statement calling the assault “an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice.” They confirmed they are working with federal partners to make sure the man faces the most serious charges possible to prevent this kind of violence.
Omar later posted on social media to confirm she was okay, saying she doesn’t “let bullies win.” She told reporters as she left the town hall: “I’ve survived war. And I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me, because I’m built that way.” This resilience comes as Omar continues to face Donald Trump’s ongoing attacks about her income.
The attack happened during a politically charged event where Omar called for abolishing ICE “for good” and demanded the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. These demands came after the second fatal shooting of a US civilian by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, which led to bipartisan calls for Noem’s resignation.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the assault as “unacceptable,” saying people “can disagree without putting people at risk.” Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett said she was “disgusted” and “outraged,” claiming that “nonstop hate and dangerous rhetoric from Trump and his allies has fueled this type of violence.”
Even Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace said she was “deeply disturbed,” noting that “no elected official should face physical attacks” regardless of disagreements. Former prosecutor Joseph Moreno recently criticized Trump’s unhinged rant targeting Omar and Tim Walz.
Published: Jan 28, 2026 01:45 pm