Man arrested for spraying unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar during Minneapolis town hall

Man sprays unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar at Minneapolis town hall; suspect arrested, Omar says she’s OK

Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown liquid by a man wielding a syringe during a Minneapolis town hall Tuesday night, a jolting incident that unfolded as the Minnesota Democrat called for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment.

• Police say the suspect, identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, used a syringe to spray a light-brown liquid that gave off a vinegarlike odor.
• Omar and attendees reported no immediate injuries; she continued the event for about 25 minutes after the attack.
• Kazmierczak was booked on suspicion of third-degree assault as forensic teams examined the device and substance.
• The clash comes amid intensifying tensions over federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, where two residents were shot dead by agents this month.
• Officials across parties condemned the assault as threats against lawmakers rise nationwide.

Minneapolis police said officers saw the man push a syringe toward Omar and spray her, then quickly tackled him as audience members gasped. “ICE cannot be reformed,” Omar had said seconds earlier, drawing cheers from a crowd of roughly 100. The suspect was arrested on the spot and taken to the county jail, police spokesperson Trevor Folke said. Authorities did not immediately identify the liquid, which was recovered at the scene.

Omar walked out under her own power and later posted on X: “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 said she felt flustered but unhurt and would be screened by medical staff.

Two local officials — Minneapolis Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw and state Sen. Bobby Joe Champion — said some of the substance also splashed onto them. No one in the room appeared to suffer visible physical effects, according to an Associated Press journalist present.

The White House did not immediately comment Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump criticized Omar at a rally in Iowa as his administration sharpened its focus on immigration enforcement and Minneapolis. He has escalated attacks on the congresswoman in recent months.

The incident came as Omar amplified calls to abolish ICE and demanded Noem’s resignation after a pair of fatal shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis under Trump’s enforcement surge. Intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was killed Saturday, less than three weeks after Renee Good was fatally shot behind the wheel of her car. Pressure on Capitol Hill has mounted for Noem to step down; few Republicans have publicly defended her.

State and local leaders denounced Tuesday’s attack. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he was grateful Omar was safe and urged an end to “cruel, inflammatory, dehumanizing rhetoric.” U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, said that “regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric … no elected official should face physical attacks.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the assault “unacceptable” and praised the swift police response.

The episode also punctuated a fraught stretch for public officials. Days earlier, a man in Utah was arrested after allegedly punching U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., at the Sundance Film Festival and invoking deportation. The U.S. Capitol Police said they are coordinating with federal partners to ensure the Minneapolis suspect faces the most serious possible charges to deter political violence.

Threats and menacing communications toward members of Congress are climbing again, according to new USCP figures. The agency logged 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors and communications directed at lawmakers, their families, staff and the Capitol complex in 2025 — up sharply from 9,474 in 2024. It is the third consecutive annual increase.

Omar, a U.S. citizen who fled Somalia as a child during civil war, represents a district that is home to one of the largest Somali communities in the country. The Minneapolis–St. Paul region counts roughly 84,000 residents of Somali descent.

Police said the investigation into Tuesday’s assault is ongoing, with forensic analysis underway on the syringe and its contents. Authorities did not immediately say whether they believe the attack was politically motivated.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.