Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar faced an attack at a town hall on Tuesday when an audience member sprayed an unknown liquid at her with a syringe, Minneapolis police said. Omar stayed unharmed and continued addressing the crowd.
“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,” Omar wrote on X after the incident. A BBC journalist at the event reported that the substance had a sour smell similar to a chemical product.
Suspect arrested and charged with assault
Police arrested 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak and charged him with third-degree assault. Video footage shows Omar’s team and security staff removing Kazmierczak from the venue as he shouted that Omar was “pitting us against each other.” Police conducted forensic tests on the substance at the scene.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the attack, saying, “Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk… This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.”
Omar continues town hall despite incident
Ilhan Omar refused calls to end the town hall, telling attendees, “We’re gonna keep talking. Just give me ten minutes. Please don’t let them have the show.” Attendees praised her courage. Alfred Flowers Jr. told the BBC he “respected her courage and strength to still stay and finish the town hall for the people.”
Context: immigration tensions and prior threats
Omar, first elected in 2019, became the first Somali-American and one of the first two Muslim American women to serve in the US Congress. Around 100 people attended the north Minneapolis town hall to discuss federal immigration enforcement following two fatal shootings of US citizens by immigration officials this month.
At the event, Omar called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be “abolished” and urged Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to “resign or face impeachment,” remarks that preceded the attack. Many local residents link the heightened enforcement to former President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on Omar.
Minnesota hosts the largest Somali immigrant community in the US.
Also read: Chief of Trump immigration crackdown set to leave Minneapolis
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