American congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked with an unknown liquid on Tuesday during a public hearing in Minneapolis.
The police said that a man from the audience sprayed the representative with a syringe, who remained unharmed and continued with the event. The attacker was immediately arrested, writes the BBC.
The police added that a forensic investigation was carried out at the scene. Footage of the incident shows security shouting “make way” as he ushers the man out of the hall. While they were taking him out, he shouted that Omar was “inciting them against each other”, but it was not clear who he meant.
“I thought one of her assistants was coming up to her to give her a message or something,” Jacquelynn Goessling said of the attacker. She added that the pungent smell of the liquid filled the front part of the room. A BBC journalist who was in the hall reported that the liquid had a sour smell, similar to some chemical product.
NEW — Rep. Ilhan Omar was just charged by a man at a town hall event in Minneapolis. Crowd says he “sprayed her” with something.
You can hear Omar demand to continue the town hall — and she’s back to speaking now from the podium. pic.twitter.com/4OpSWHo0Z9
— Jay O’Brien (@jayobtv) January 28, 2026
After the incident, Omar announced herself on the social network X. “I’m fine. I survived and this little provocateur will not intimidate me in doing my job. I don’t let bullies win,” she said. She addressed the audience with the words, “We keep going…we are strong Minnesota.”
Although the officials asked her to stop the stand, she insisted on continuing. “We’re going to continue the conversation. Just give me ten minutes. Please don’t let them take over,” she said from the stage. One of those present, Alfred Flowers Jr., told the BBC that he “respected her courage and strength to stay and finish the stand for the people”.
The forum, which gathered about a hundred people, was organized due to the increased presence of federal immigration officials in the city. Tensions rose after immigration officials fatally shot American citizens in two separate incidents this month. Renee Good was killed in January, and Alex Pretti last week, sparking local protests.
The attack came just after Omar called for the “abolition” of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanded that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “resign or face impeachment.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the incident. “Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without endangering people… This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city,” he said.
Many in the area see the increased immigration enforcement as a response to President Donald Trump’s intolerance of Omar, whom he has called a “radical left-wing lunatic.”
Trump said Tuesday, commenting on the second fatal shooting, that his administration would “calm things down a little bit” in Minnesota. In 2019, Ilhan Omar became the first American of Somali descent, the first born in Africa, and one of the first two Muslim women in the US Congress.
Let’s recall that two days ago, Trump harshly called out the Democratic representative Omar on his Truth Social social network.
“The Department of Justice and Congress are investigating ‘Congresswoman’ Ilhan Omar, who left Somalia WITH NOTHING and is now reportedly worth more than $44 million. Time will tell. Thank you for your attention! President DJT,” he said.
(Vijesti.ba)
