Topline
A man lunged at Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and sprayed her with an unidentified liquid on Tuesday evening while she was conducting a town hall in her Congressional district to discuss the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
The attack on Omar took place shortly after she called for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached.
After charging at her, the man used what appeared to be a syringe to spray an unknown liquid substance with a strong odor at the Congresswoman.
The man was quickly tackled to the ground by security staff and later arrested.
After a quick pause, Omar insisted she would continue—despite her staffers and security team members urging her not to and get checked first.
She then told the crowd. “Here’s the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand…We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
How Has President Donald Trump Reacted To The Incident?
Omar, who is an immigrant from Somalia, has been a recurring target of President Donald Trump’s attacks. While speaking to ABC News on Tuesday night, Trump was asked whether he had seen a video of the attack on Omar, and said, “No. I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that.” The president then baselessly claimed: “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” despite the attacker being arrested and charged with third degree assault. During a rally in Iowa just hours before the incident, Trump said immigrants won’t be allowed to enter the U.S. unless they show “they can love our country…Not like Ilhan Omar.” He then continued his attacks on Omar and her country of birth, Somalia, saying: “She comes from a country that’s a disaster…They’re good at one thing. Pirates.”
What Do We Know About The Attacker
The person who attacked Omar was quickly apprehended and then arrested. The attacker was identified as Anthony J. Kazmierczak,55, and he is being held in Hennepin County Jail. Arrest records show police have booked him for third-degree assault. In a statement, U.S. Capitol Police said: “Tonight, a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress – an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice…We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.” Citing the local police’s incident report, NBC affiliate KARE reported that Omar was “uninjured” and the city’s forensic scientists processed the scene. Details about the substance the attacker used remains unknown.
Crucial Quote
“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. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong,” Omar said in a statement on X.
Big Number
14,938. That is the total number of “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex” that the Capitol Police investigated in 2025, according to a report the agency released on Tuesday. This is a steep increase from the 9,474 such incidents probed by Capitol Police in 2024. The report noted that: “Members of Congress of both political parties receive a wide range of threats and concerning statements, which can be sent through the mail, e-mail, telephone, and social media…Decreasing violent political rhetoric is one of the best ways to decrease the number of threats across the country”
How Have Other Lawmakers Responded To The Attack?
In a post on X, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a close ally of Omar, wrote: “It is not a coincidence that after days of President Trump and VP Vance putting Rep. Omar in their crosshairs with slanderous public attacks, she gets assaulted at her town hall. Thank God she is okay. If they want leaders to take down the temp, they need to look in the mirror.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., tweeted: “Horrified that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall meeting this evening…Political violence of any kind is never acceptable. The perpetrator must be criminally prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Enough.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the attack was “a despicable act of political violence and intimidation.” Some GOP lawmakers also condemned the incident with Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., tweeting: “What happened at Rep. Ilhan Omar’s town hall — where she was sprayed with a substance during the event — is completely unacceptable. Regardless of political views, we should all agree this behavior crosses a line and cannot be tolerated.” Rep. Mark Alford, R-Miss., wrote on X: ““I condemn the assault on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in the strongest possible terms…I disagree with her on almost everything politically and on policy. But these type of disagreements should NEVER result in assault.”
