Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis. She was giving remarks when a man charged at the podium, squirting a liquid on her, before a security guard tackled him to the ground. Following the altercation, the man was arrested and charged with assault.
Assault on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
The man who charged at Omar has been identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak. Minneapolis police report they booked the suspect into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault. The department said its officers saw the incident go down at the town hall event and witnessed the man spray an unknown liquid at the congresswoman. Thankfully, Omar seems unharmed, but others in attendance became concerned.
“I’m going to finish my remarks. It is important for me to continue,” Omar said after being publicly assaulted. “We will continue,” she said. “These f—— a——- are not going to get away with it!“
This unwarranted attack comes in the midst of tension rising within Minneapolis between local officials and the Trump administration over the constant ICE disturbances and murders. There have been multiple fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in the city, including Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. They were both shot multiple times after Immigration agents attempted to detain them unlawfully.
Before the man charged at Omar, she was calling for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished. After she was attacked, she proudly told reporters she would not back down and would not allow herself to be intimidated. “You know, I’ve survived more, and I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think that they can throw at me because I’m built that way,” she said.
In an official statement on her website, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said: “During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe. Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”
Constant Political Target
This is, unfortunately, not Omar’s first targeted attack by President Donald Trump’s supporters. She has been a target of Trump’s for years, most recently when he called Omar a “fake sleazebag,” and said she should be thrown out of the U.S. When Trump was told about the syringe attack yesterday, he said he had not seen the video, but accused Omar of staging it.
“I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud,” Trump told ABC News’ Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott. “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.” He provided no evidence to support his accusation.
Omar wrote in a post on X following Tuesday’s incident, saying, “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.”
Increase in Political Threats
The U.S. Capitol Police made a statement informing the public that the man who assaulted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is in custody. “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.” They said the department is “working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.”
Capitol Police reported that the threats against Congress members have increased for the third year in a row. The department investigated nearly 15,000 statements concerning threatening behaviors and communications directed to Congress members, their families, and their staff in 2025. Compared to 2024, when they had roughly 9,500, the threats nearly doubled the following year.
