A man was tackled and arrested after spraying an unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar at a Minneapolis town hall Tuesday, the latest incident targeting the Minnesota congresswoman amid escalating political tensions.
Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was booked by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and faces a third-degree assault charge. Video showed Kazmierczak jumping from the front row and spraying Omar before security tackled him. The audience cheered as he was escorted away with his arms tied behind his back.
“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,” Omar said after the incident. It was not immediately clear what substance was used.
Omar’s office said the congresswoman was OK and continued with her town hall “because she doesn’t let bullies win.” Democratic Gov. Tim Walz reacted on social media: “Our state has been shattered by political violence in the last year. The cruel, inflammatory, dehumanizing rhetoric by our nation’s leaders needs to stop immediately.”
Omar has long been a Republican target. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the Justice Department and Congress are examining her finances following a dramatic increase in her reported net worth. Omar entered Congress in 2019 reporting a negative net worth but now shows family wealth estimated as high as $30 million. She has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and said she has been transparent about her finances.
The attack occurred hours after Trump singled out Omar during an Iowa speech, criticizing her Somali heritage and saying the U.S. needed immigrants who “love our country.”
