A man sprayed Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., with an unidentified liquid during a town hall she was holding Tuesday in Minneapolis.
In video of the incident, Omar was speaking about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying she "must resign or face impeachment," when a man seated in the front row approached the lectern and sprayed a liquid from what appeared to be a syringe, striking Omar in the chest.
Security quickly apprehended the man, tackling and handcuffing him before removing him from the room.
The suspect, who was not immediately identified, was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of assault, according to Trevor Folke, a spokesman for the Minneapolis Police Department.
Folke said a forensics squad was called to analyze the scene. The New York Times first reported the arrest.
Someone in the audience asked Omar, "What did he spray on you?"
"I don't know," she replied.
Omar insisted on continuing the town hall, which was held in her 5th Congressional District. The event took place amid ongoing protests in Minneapolis over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
"We will continue," Omar said. "These [expletives] are not going to get away with it!"
Another person remarked that whatever the man sprayed "smells so bad." The Times described the odor as vinegary.
That person urged Omar to seek medical attention, saying, "She needs to go get checked. I don't know what that was. It's not about him, Ilhan, it's about your safety. No. He sprayed something on you. You need to go get checked."
Omar later returned to the lectern, pleading with security to allow her to continue.
"Just give me 10 minutes. Please. I beg you. Please don't let them have the show," she said.
"Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don't understand," Omar continued. "We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us."
Following the incident, Omar posted on X that she was not injured.
"I'm OK. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work," she wrote. "I don't let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong."
Democrat Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the attack, calling it "unacceptable" in a post on X.
"Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis," Frey wrote. "We can disagree without putting people at risk. I'm relieved Rep. @IlhanOmar is OK and appreciate MPD for responding quickly. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city."
Omar, a Somalia-born U.S. citizen who has served in Congress since 2019, has frequently drawn criticism from President Donald Trump and other Republicans.
Trump has accused Omar of ties to alleged large-scale fraud involving Somali-linked networks in Minnesota and has called for investigations into her conduct. Earlier this month, Trump said Omar should face legal consequences, including potential jail time, if wrongdoing is proven.
Trump has also questioned Omar's finances, calling for scrutiny after her reported net worth rose significantly following her election to Congress.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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