Representative Ilhan Omar was assaulted on Tuesday evening during a town hall in her home district. A man lunged at the podium and used a syringe to spray her with a foul-smelling liquid. Omar refused to leave the stage and vowed to finish her remarks despite the attack.
"Please don't let them have the show," Omar told her supporters as security tackled the assailant. She called the attacker an "ugly man" and declared that "f---ing a--holes" would not stop her work. She used the moment to highlight the resilience of her community, calling them "Minnesota strong."
The suspect was identified as 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak. He was arrested by Minneapolis police and booked into the Hennepin County Jail on a third-degree assault charge. Witnesses reported a sour, vinegar-like odor following the spraying incident.
Omar was in the middle of a fierce critique of the Trump administration when the attack occurred. She was specifically calling for the resignation or impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Tensions in the city have reached a breaking point following two fatal shootings by federal agents this month.
The congresswoman labeled ICE a "rogue agency" and accused agents of committing "murder" in broad daylight. She listed several allegations of abuse, including racial profiling and the detention of U.S. citizens. "We cannot treat this as business as usual," she told the crowded room.
ICE has significantly ramped up its presence in Minneapolis under "Operation Metro Surge." Federal officials report that they have arrested over 3,000 "criminal illegal aliens" in the area recently. This includes individuals with convictions for homicide, sexual assault, and gang involvement.
However, critics point to the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti as evidence of federal overreach. Both victims were U.S. citizens killed during immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities. Omar argued that these tactics are designed to terrorize documented neighbors and actual citizens.
President Trump weighed in on the attack Wednesday, calling Omar a "fraud" and making a serious accusation. "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her," Trump told reporters during a phone interview. He has previously suggested Omar should be jailed for her alleged knowledge of "Somalia Fraud."
Despite the violence and the political crossfire, Omar completed her 20-minute address. She urged her Republican colleagues to "grow a backbone" and rein in federal enforcement. The city remains on high alert as more federal agents are expected to arrive this week.