On the evening of January 27, 2026, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar was speaking at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota when a man in the audience rushed the stage and sprayed her with an unknown liquid. The meeting was Omar’s first in-person town hall of the year and was focused on public issues, including immigration policy.
Omar, a Democrat representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, had been discussing her views on immigration and criticizing the actions of the federal agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). During her remarks she called for the abolition of ICE and urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment — a request tied to heightened tensions over recent law enforcement actions in the city.
While she spoke, a man from the crowd suddenly approached the podium. According to police, he used a syringe to spray an unknown liquid toward Omar. It was not immediately clear what the substance was, and authorities have not publicly identified it.
Security and police quickly intervened. A guard tackled the man to the ground and restrained him before removing him from the room. The Minneapolis Police Department later confirmed that the suspect was arrested and booked on suspicion of third-degree assault. The man has been identified in some reports as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak.
Throughout the brief chaos, Omar remained largely calm. She was not seriously injured, according to official statements and eyewitness reports. Some people nearby said the unknown liquid gave off a strong smell, but there was no sign of serious harm.
After the man was taken away, Omar chose to continue the town hall. She paused briefly, but then picked up her remarks and went on to answer questions from the audience for about 30 more minutes. Her decision to stay and speak was noted by attendees and covered widely in news coverage of the incident.
Omar’s choice to stay at the event and continue talking was framed as a sign of resilience. In statements after the incident, she said she would not be intimidated by the attack and would keep doing her work. Her office said she was “okay” and that she wasn’t going to let “bullies” win.
The Minneapolis mayor and other political figures condemned the attack as unacceptable and stressed that violence against public officials is never justified. Officials from both local government and law enforcement emphasized the importance of safety, peaceful disagreement, and respect for democratic processes.
This incident comes at a time of heightened political tension across the United States, with elected officials reporting an increase in threats and hostile behavior. U.S. Capitol Police have said that threats and concerning communications targeting lawmakers have been rising steadily in recent years.
Across the political spectrum, many leaders expressed concern that the attack reflects a wider national problem with political violence and anger. While some commentators questioned the motives behind the attack, most condemned harming any public figure regardless of political views.
In summary, Representative Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unidentified liquid while speaking at a Minneapolis town hall meeting. The attacker was quickly subdued and arrested, and Omar — though shaken — continued her event and insisted she would not be intimidated. Authorities are investigating the incident, including what the sprayed substance was and how best to address the assault legally.
