Rep. Ilhan Omar Rushed, Sprayed with Unknown Substance at Minneapolis Town Hall
MINNEAPOLIS — A town hall meeting hosted by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar turned chaotic Tuesday evening when a man rushed the stage and sprayed the congresswoman with an unknown liquid.
The incident occurred while Omar was addressing a crowded room in Minneapolis, discussing federal immigration enforcement. According to witnesses and video footage of the event, a man wearing a black jacket approached the lectern and lunged toward Omar holding a syringe. He sprayed a liquid at her torso before being tackled to the ground by security personnel and police officers.
Minneapolis police confirmed that officers witnessed the attack and immediately took the suspect into custody. He has been booked into the county jail on probable cause for third-degree assault. A police spokesperson stated that forensic scientists responded to the scene to analyze the substance, though witnesses near the stage reported a strong, vinegar-like odor.
Despite the altercation, Rep. Omar, a Democrat representing Minnesota’s 5th District, was not physically injured. After the suspect was removed from the room, she returned to the microphone, urging the crowd to remain calm.
“I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work,” Omar later posted on social media. During the event, she reportedly told the audience, “We will continue… Please don’t let them have a show,” refusing to end the town hall early despite pleas from her staff.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions in Minnesota regarding immigration policy. Just prior to the incident, Omar had been speaking about the need to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and calling for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The local community has been on edge following reports of recent fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in the state.
Video from the event shows the audience cheering as the suspect was restrained. Law enforcement has not yet released the identity of the man or a specific motive, though the investigation is ongoing.
Rep. Omar has frequently been a target of political violence and threats since taking office in 2019. As a member of the progressive “Squad,” she has often faced intense scrutiny and security risks, necessitating a robust security detail at public appearances.
Minneapolis police are asking anyone with additional video or information regarding the incident to come forward as they continue their investigation.
* sfchronicle.com
* yahoo.com
* ksat.com
* cbc.ca
* bringmethenews.com
* independent.co.uk
* theguardian.com
