A man was tackled to the ground and arrested after spraying Rep. Ilhan Omar with an unknown substance during a town hall meeting in her Minneapolis-area district on Tuesday, authorities said.
Video livestreamed from the event showed the man standing and shouting at Omar as she spoke from the podium, calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment over the handling of recent officer-involved shootings in Minneapolis. The man then appeared to spray Omar before security and attendees rushed him and forced him to the floor, where his arms were restrained. Members of the audience cheered as he was detained.
Omar was not injured and continued the town hall after the incident.
“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 afterward.
She later addressed the incident in a post on social media.
“I’m ok,” Omar wrote. “I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
Her office echoed that message in a statement, saying, “The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”
Minneapolis police confirmed the suspect was arrested at the scene and later identified him as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak. Officers said they were already assigned to the event when they witnessed the incident.
“Officers observed a man use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid onto the congresswoman,” police public information officer Trevor Folke said in an email. “The man was immediately arrested by MPD officers and booked into Hennepin County Jail for 3rd degree assault. Representative Omar was uninjured and resumed speaking at the event. Minneapolis Forensic Scientists responded to process the scene.”
U.S. Capitol Police condemned the attack and said federal authorities are reviewing potential additional charges.
“This was an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice,” Capitol Police said in a statement. “We are grateful for the rapid response of onsite security and our local law enforcement partners. We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.”
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions in Minnesota following recent immigration enforcement actions and shootings involving federal officers. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Omar on social media in recent days.
On Monday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Justice Department and Congress were “looking at” the Minnesota Democrat in connection with broader investigations in the state.
“Additionally, the DOJ and Congress are looking at ‘Congresswoman’ Illhan Omar, who left Somalia with NOTHING, and is now reportedly worth more than 44 Million Dollars. Time will tell all,” Trump wrote.
