Chicago – January 28, 2026
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was assaulted during a town hall in Minneapolis on January 27, 2026, when a man rushed the stage and sprayed her with an unknown foul-smelling liquid using a syringe. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions over federal immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities, as Omar criticized ICE and called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation.
Minneapolis police, present at the event, immediately arrested 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak on third-degree assault charges; Omar was unharmed, and forensic teams examined the scene. Defiant, Omar continued her speech, stating, “We will continue. These aholes are not going to get away with this,” and later posted on X, “I’m a survivor… I won’t let bullies win.”
President Donald Trump dismissed the attack, accusing Omar of staging it without evidence and calling her a “fraud,” fueling concerns over escalating political rhetoric and violence. The U.S. Capitol Police condemned the assault, vowing swift justice. This marks another incident in Omar’s history of facing threats amid Trump’s repeated targeting.
