Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked Tuesday during a speech at City Hall in Minneapolis, where a man sprayed her with an unknown substance, AP reported. Shortly after this attack, the authorities caught and pinned the attacker to the ground. The incident occurred just before Omar sparked calls for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Tensions over federal immigration enforcement flared after 37-year-old critical care nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis on January 24. In viral videos of the rounds, the attacker can be seen wearing a black jacket and holding a syringe. “Oh my god, he sprayed something on her,” someone in the audience can be heard saying.
“ICE cannot be reformed,” the AP quoted Ilhan Omar as saying.
The accused was arrested and escorted out of the room by Ilhan Omar’s security. He was charged with third-degree assault, Minneapolis police spokesman Trevor Folke said in an email to the AP. Undeterred, Omar continued to City Hall, saying that when the man pushed the syringe, he smelled a strong, vinegary smell. Omar confirmed her resilience and said she would not be intimidated.
Ilhan Omar later wrote on the social platform X: “I’m fine. I’m a survivor so this little agitator won’t intimidate me at my job. I’m not going to let the bullies win. I’m grateful to my incredible voters who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
US President Donald Trump has criticized the congresswoman several times. In December, at a cabinet meeting, he launched verbal attacks on Ilhan Omar, calling her and her friends “garbage”. During a speech on Tuesday, Donald Trump criticized Omar while speaking to a crowd in Iowa. “They must be proud, not like Ilhan Omar,” AP quoted the US president as saying.
“He comes from a country that’s a disaster. So probably, I think it’s considered — it’s not even a country,” the 79-year-old Republican leader added.
