Ilhan Omar was briefly interrupted during a public town hall meeting in Minneapolis after a man allegedly sprayed her with an unidentified substance. The incident, which occurred as Omar was addressing constituents on immigration issues, led to the suspect’s arrest.
Ilhan Omar attacked with spray at town hall
Representative Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unidentified liquid during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. A man in the audience disrupted the event while she was speaking about immigration policy. This prompted a swift security response and the arrest of a 55-year-old suspect.
According to witnesses, Omar had been addressing the crowd for only a few minutes when the man stood up, shouted, and released a substance. Several people in the room described the substance as having an acidic smell. Her security immediately moved her away from the stage as the suspect was tackled and restrained by officers.
As the room reacted, Omar shouted, “We will continue. These f***ing a***oles are not going to get away with this.” Several attendees pleaded to her to pause the meeting and seek medical attention. “Ten minutes, I beg you … please don’t let them have the show,” she said. After the man was escorted out of the room, applause broke out among the audience.
Omar then returned to the microphone and addressed the crowd, insisting that the event go on. “Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand: We are Minnesota strong,” she said.
The Minneapolis Police Department later confirmed that the suspect, 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak, was arrested and booked into Hennepin County jail on a charge of third-degree assault. Police spokesperson Trevor Folke said forensic teams were called to the scene to examine the substance involved.
After exiting the town hall, Omar stressed that she was not intimidated by the attack. In an Instagram post, the congresswoman also reassured supporters about her condition.
