Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown liquid from a syringe Tuesday night while calling for the abolition of ICE at a Minneapolis town hall, the latest act of political violence against a member of Congress as tensions over immigration enforcement reach a boiling point in Minnesota. It not the first time Omar has been under threat.
Watch the video of the attack below just press play
The FBI has now taken over the investigation into the assault on the Democratic congresswoman, who has been a frequent target of President Trump’s attacks. The incident, captured on C-SPAN video, showed a man walking down the center aisle of the Urban League Twin Cities facility before rushing the podium and spraying Omar with a foul-smelling substance.
The Attack and Omar’s Defiant Response
Omar had just finished calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to “resign or face impeachment” when the assailant charged. Witnesses reported the liquid had an unpleasant odor, and Omar’s staff immediately urged her to step away to get checked out.
She refused.
“These f****** a**holes are not going to get away with it,” Omar told the crowd as security tackled the man. “We will continue.”
After being briefly examined, Omar returned to the podium to deliver what would become one of the more memorable lines of this political moment. “Here’s the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand,” she said to cheering supporters. “We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
The attacker, identified as Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was arrested by Minneapolis police on suspicion of third-degree assault and booked into Hennepin County Jail. His criminal record dates back to 1989, when he pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Kazmierczak appeared to yell “You must resign” before being subdued.
A Pattern of Political Violence
The assault on Omar is not an isolated incident. U.S. Capitol Police released updated threat numbers showing 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against lawmakers, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex in 2025. That represents a staggering 57% increase from the 9,474 potential threats recorded the year before, and marks the third consecutive year of increases.
Just days before Omar’s assault, Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) was punched in the face at the Sundance Film Festival by a man who allegedly told him Trump was going to deport him. Last year, former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in what authorities called a “politically motivated assassination.” The same suspect allegedly shot and injured another Minnesota Democrat, state Sen. John Hoffman.
Capitol Police said they are “working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.”
Trump’s Obsession and the Minneapolis Tinderbox
The timing of the attack could not be more charged. Omar, a Somali American and former refugee who made history in 2018 as one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, has long been a favorite target of the president. Hours before the assault, Trump mocked her at a rally in Iowa, saying immigrants must “show that they can love our country; they have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar.”
The previous day, Trump announced the Justice Department and Congress were “looking at” Omar. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the town hall incident.
Omar has been vocal in pushing back against the president’s fixation. “Trump’s obsession with me is beyond weird,” she wrote on X last month. “He needs serious help.”
The town hall itself was organized in response to what Omar and other Democrats are calling an out-of-control immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Federal agents have killed two U.S. citizens this month: ICE officer shot and killed Renee Good, a mother of three, in her car earlier in January. Then on Saturday, Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, sparking protests and calls for Noem’s resignation.
Bipartisan Condemnation, Limited Impact
The attack drew swift condemnation across party lines, at least on paper. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, called it “unacceptable” and said “we can disagree without putting people at risk.” Even Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), no political ally of Omar’s, condemned the assault. “Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric, and I do, no elected official should face physical attacks,” Mace wrote on X. “This is not who we are.”
But whether condemnation translates into actual policy changes or rhetorical restraint remains to be seen. Trump has given no indication he plans to dial back his attacks on Omar, and the immigration enforcement that sparked the Minneapolis protests continues unabated.
What Comes Next
Omar, who was elected to a third term in 2024 representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, posted on X shortly after the attack ended: “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.”
She also leaned into the emotional moment at the town hall, telling constituents: “It’s truly heartbreaking, this moment we find ourselves in. But if we know anything about U.S. history, it’s that everything is temporary, and we will find our way out of this.”
The FBI is now reviewing body camera footage and other evidence from the incident. Minneapolis forensic scientists responded to the scene to analyze the unknown substance. It remains unclear whether Kazmierczak will face federal charges in addition to the state assault charge.
For Omar, a congresswoman who has faced death threats, antisemitic attacks, and presidential targeting since entering office, Tuesday’s assault was just the latest in a long line of violent confrontations. The difference this time: it happened on live television, with the whole country watching, as she called for accountability from the very agencies now tasked with bringing her attacker to justice.