Rep. Ilhan Omar, a prominent Democratic congresswoman, was sprayed with an unknown substance during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday, sparking outrage and condemnation from officials across the political spectrum.
The incident occurred just days after two people were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, leaving many to question the escalating tensions over immigration enforcement. The atmosphere at the town hall had been tense, with Omar calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment.
In a bizarre and disturbing display, a 55-year-old man was tackled to the ground after spraying the substance on Omar's back. The man, identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested and charged with third-degree assault. Forensic scientists are investigating the substance, which has been described as having a strong, vinegar-like smell.
Omar herself suffered only minor effects from the incident, but many others in attendance were shaken by the event. Minneapolis Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw said that some of the substance came into contact with her and state Senator Bobby Joe Champion, describing the experience as "deeply unsettling."
President Donald Trump was quick to capitalize on the incident, criticizing Omar and saying that she is not welcome in America because of her country of origin, Somalia. He also referred to her as "garbage" during a Cabinet meeting last month.
The White House has yet to comment on the incident, but many politicians across the aisle have condemned the attack, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz, who expressed gratitude that Omar was safe. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, denounced the assault, saying that no elected official should face physical attacks.
The Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, also spoke out against the attack, calling it "unacceptable" and thanking police for their quick response. The city is still reeling from the fatal shootings of two residents by federal immigration agents earlier this month.
The incident highlights the increasingly volatile state of politics in America, with threats against lawmakers on the rise. According to U.S. Capitol Police, there were 14,938 "concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against lawmakers" in 2025, a sharp increase from last year's 9,474 cases.
As the investigation into the substance continues, officials are warning that such incidents will not be tolerated in America. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for civility and respect in public discourse, even in the face of intense disagreement and polarization.
The incident occurred just days after two people were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, leaving many to question the escalating tensions over immigration enforcement. The atmosphere at the town hall had been tense, with Omar calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment.
In a bizarre and disturbing display, a 55-year-old man was tackled to the ground after spraying the substance on Omar's back. The man, identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, was arrested and charged with third-degree assault. Forensic scientists are investigating the substance, which has been described as having a strong, vinegar-like smell.
Omar herself suffered only minor effects from the incident, but many others in attendance were shaken by the event. Minneapolis Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw said that some of the substance came into contact with her and state Senator Bobby Joe Champion, describing the experience as "deeply unsettling."
President Donald Trump was quick to capitalize on the incident, criticizing Omar and saying that she is not welcome in America because of her country of origin, Somalia. He also referred to her as "garbage" during a Cabinet meeting last month.
The White House has yet to comment on the incident, but many politicians across the aisle have condemned the attack, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz, who expressed gratitude that Omar was safe. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, denounced the assault, saying that no elected official should face physical attacks.
The Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, also spoke out against the attack, calling it "unacceptable" and thanking police for their quick response. The city is still reeling from the fatal shootings of two residents by federal immigration agents earlier this month.
The incident highlights the increasingly volatile state of politics in America, with threats against lawmakers on the rise. According to U.S. Capitol Police, there were 14,938 "concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against lawmakers" in 2025, a sharp increase from last year's 9,474 cases.
As the investigation into the substance continues, officials are warning that such incidents will not be tolerated in America. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for civility and respect in public discourse, even in the face of intense disagreement and polarization.
What's going on with this guy Anthony Kazmierczak, spraying some crazy stuff at Rep Omar? I mean, what was he thinking? 
It's like, you disagree with someone, you don't gotta go full-on ninja on 'em. And now the President is basically saying that Rep Omar doesn't belong here because of her Somali background... 
Newsflash, Donnie: she's an American citizen just like everyone else! 
It's time for some real talk about civility and respect in politics. Can we please get back to having a respectful conversation without resorting to violence or hate speech? 
this is so sad what happened to Rep Omar she's already dealing with so much drama on immigration & then some psycho sprays her with who knows what 
it's like, can't we just have respectful debates without getting physical? 
either way, it's not okay to threaten someone's safety like that. 
I'm so glad Omar is safe and that others in attendance were able to get medical attention quickly too 
! I mean, an unknown substance being sprayed at Rep Omar's town hall meeting? That's like something out of a movie 
it's crazy that someone would resort to physical violence over politics, especially when there are better ways to express dissent. Like, have you seen those marches and protests where people can vent without getting hurt 
. We need to stand together and condemn violence against elected officials, regardless of their party affiliation 
u think it's gonna get worse with all the drama out there? 
I don't think it's acceptable to threaten people like this, period. And the fact that President Trump is already jumpin' on Omar's bandwagon and callin' her "garbage" is just disgusting 
We need to calm down and start treatin' each other with some respect and kindness, even when we don't agree 
and then you got the President making a joke about her being "garbage" 
even when we don't agree on everything. 
.
. We need to start holding people like him accountable, not coddling them or turning a blind eye 
.
this is what i call systemic stress 
somalia or not, she has a right to speak up and advocate for change. lets stop demonizing ppl for having different opinions 
i mean, don't get me wrong, violence isn't the answer, but can we just take a step back and think about why someone would do something so extreme in the first place? is it because they're really that passionate about immigration or are they just trying to get attention? 
. seriously though, this is a huge wake-up call for our country's politics 
I'm just glad Rep Omar is ok, but like, what about all the others who got splashed with the stuff?!?! 
what was that guy thinking?? he got tackled to the ground and charged with assault, good riddance 
we gotta stand up for each other even when we disagree, no matter what 
. We need to take a step back and think about the bigger picture here. Politics is supposed to be about debate and discussion, not physical altercations or personal attacks 
, I'm thinking of binging it this weekend... I mean, have you seen the first episode? It's like they're going back to the 80s all over again. I was at this retro arcade last month and it felt so nostalgic, playing classic games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. I even tried to beat my high score on Galaga but ended up getting destroyed