During a heated public meeting in Minnesota, Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar was targeted with an unidentified liquid

28 January 2026 , 13:06

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During a heated public meeting in Minnesota, Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar was targeted with an unidentified liquid

Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked during a town hall meeting in Minnesota after a man sprayed her with an unknown, strong-smelling liquid from a syringe while shouting for her to resign.

The incident occurred at a town hall event held at the Urban League Twin Cities facility, which was organised to discuss the growing crisis in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of local resident Alex Pretti by federal immigration enforcement officers. Omar had been sharply criticising the actions of ICE and moments earlier called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment over aggressive enforcement tactics.

Witnesses said the attacker shouted at Omar to resign before spraying the liquid, prompting people in the room to tackle him to the ground as others cheered. Minneapolis police later identified the suspect as 55-year-old Anthony J Kazmierczak.

Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations. Picture: Getty

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Visibly shaken but defiant, Omar told reporters after the attack that she would not be intimidated. She said she had survived war and would survive attempts to threaten or silence her. At one point, as the man was being removed by security, Omar could be heard angrily confronting him after he accused her of “tearing Minnesota apart.”

Initial reports indicate that Kazmierczak has no prior convictions for violent offences in Minnesota, though he has two previous convictions for driving under the influence. Court records cited by US media suggest he was unemployed and receiving disability payments.

Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been attacked by a man who sprayed an unknown liquid at the US lawmaker from a syringe during a town hall event. Picture: Getty

The US Capitol Police described the attack as unacceptable and said it would be met with swift justice. The agency confirmed it is working with federal partners to pursue the most serious charges possible in order to deter similar attacks against elected officials.

Despite concerns raised by supporters about possible health effects from the substance, Omar insisted the event would continue, telling the crowd that intimidation would not stop her from speaking out.

Emily Hughes