Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was sprayed with an unknown substance by a man during a town hall meeting Tuesday evening and was subsequently tackled and arrested by authorities, police said. The incident occurred as Omar was speaking to constituents in Minneapolis, where she had criticized U.S. immigration enforcement and called for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
According to law enforcement, a man approached the podium and sprayed an unidentified liquid at Omar from a syringe-like device before a security guard and others restrained him.
Minneapolis police booked the suspect — identified 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak — on suspicion of third-degree assault. Omar was not injured in the incident and continued her remarks after a brief pause, saying she would not be intimidated.
“Representative Omar was uninjured and resumed speaking at the event,” a Minneapolis police statement said.
Officials said the substance sprayed had a noticeable odor, and forensic teams were brought in to examine it, though no serious physical reactions were immediately reported among those at the event.
As Omar said Noem “must resign or face impeachment,” the man shouted something that microphones did not catch very clearly
“Oh, my God, he sprayed something on her,” a witness could be heard saying, as numerous people rushed toward the podium. Someone else said that the substance smelled bad and that Omar should “get checked.”
But Omar refused. “We will continue,” she said, angrily refusing to leave. “These f***ing a******s are not going to get away with this.”
The town hall took place amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis following recent fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents, which have drawn protests and criticism from local officials and advocacy groups.
Omar addressed the incident with reporters after her event.
“I survived war, and I’m definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think that they can throw at me, because I’m built that way,” she said.
Many people expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the liquid attack because Omar refused to seek medical treatment or get checked out afterward. Additionally, video footage appeared to show her nodding at the attacker just before the incident occurred.
The town hall event continued for an additional 25 minutes after liquid was sprayed on her. The event drew criticism even from her most outspoken opponents, including South Carolina GOP Rep. Nancy Mace.
“Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric – and I do – no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are,” she said on X.
That said, the official statement from Omar’s office also received scrutiny.
“During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe. Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win,” the statement read.
The Office of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) issued the following statement following the incident at her town hall in North Minneapolis.
“During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe. Security and the Minneapolis…
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) January 28, 2026
DataRepublican, a prominent conservative X pundit and programmer, challenged this version of events in the replies, saying that she “continued the town hall because of one of two options: 1) She does not have the self-preservation instincts accompanying being sprayed with a smelly substance, such as getting a doctor to check it out or even as simple as washing it off. 2) She staged it.”
“There are no other options,” she added.
