Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar was targeted by an attack at a Minneapolis town hall on Tuesday, when a man sprayed her with an unknown substance. Omar refused to leave the event immediately and continued speaking to attendees.
The alleged assailant, 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, was quickly detained by security and booked into Hennepin County Jail on third-degree assault charges, according to Minneapolis police. Officials confirmed that Omar was not physically injured in the incident.
Omar was discussing her calls to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign when the man rushed the stage, reportedly using a syringe to spray the substance. Security personnel immediately restrained him, leading him out in handcuffs.
“I’m a survivor, so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work,” Omar said on social media after the event. At the town hall, she told the crowd: “We will continue. These f*ing aholes are not going to get away with it!” She added, “We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us,” before taking questions for nearly 30 minutes.
U.S. Capitol Police released a statement confirming the arrest, saying, “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.” The agency said it is working with federal partners to pursue the most serious charges possible to deter similar incidents.
Attendees noted the substance had a strong odor and urged Omar to get checked. Omar later confirmed on social media that she was unharmed and in good health.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by two Customs and Border Protection agents. The shooting, which occurred last Saturday, prompted widespread protests and criticism of federal immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities. Thousands of federal immigration agents have been deployed in the area over the past month as part of a crackdown directed by the Trump administration.
Omar is not the only Democratic lawmaker to face physical confrontations recently. Florida Representative Maxwell Frost was assaulted at a private event during the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, resulting in charges of simple assault and aggravated burglary against the suspect.
The U.S. Capitol Police report a rising number of threats against members of Congress. In 2025, the agency investigated 14,938 threats and concerning statements targeting lawmakers, their families, and staff, up from 9,474 in 2024 and 8,000 in 2023. Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, has long been a target of racist and Islamophobic threats and has spoken frequently about the risks she faces.
Despite the attack, Omar emphasized resilience and determination, sending a clear message that she will not be silenced. Her continued engagement with constituents at the Minneapolis town hall underscores her commitment to public service even in the face of escalating threats against elected officials.
