Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was attacked with an unknown substance Tuesday while hosting a town hall meeting in North Minneapolis. The Congresswoman was uninjured and, despite pleas from officials to evacuate, insisted on continuing the event, telling the crowd, “I don’t let bullies win.”
Minneapolis police confirmed that a male suspect was immediately arrested at the scene. According to authorities, the man approached the Congresswoman and used a syringe to spray a liquid at her. While forensics teams are currently analyzing the substance, witnesses and reporters at the scene described an “acrid” and “sour” smell reminiscent of a chemical product that quickly consumed the front of the room.
A Chaotic Scene
The incident occurred in a basement venue in North Minneapolis where approximately 100 constituents had gathered.
“I thought it was one of her aides going up to hand her a note or something,” said attendee Jacquelynn Goessling.
Instead, security teams were seen wrestling the man away, shouting “make a hole” as they removed him from the venue. As he was being pushed out, the suspect was heard shouting that Omar was “pitting us against each other,” though it remains unclear specifically whom he was referring to.
“We Are Minnesota Strong”
Following the altercation, officials urged Rep. Omar to end the town hall for her safety. She refused.
“We’re gonna keep talking. Just give me ten minutes,” Omar told the room from the podium. “Please don’t let them have the show. Please don’t let them have the show.”
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) shortly after, Omar reassured the public: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.”
She told the audience that the community would continue to be “Minnesota strong.” Alfred Flowers Jr., another attendee, told reporters he “respected her courage and strength to still stay and finish the town hall for the people.”
High Tensions Over Immigration
The attack comes amid a volatile atmosphere in the district regarding federal immigration enforcement. The town hall was organized to address the presence of federal officials following two controversial deaths this month.
- January: Immigration officers fatally shot U.S. citizen Renee Good.
- Last Week: U.S. citizen Alex Pretti was fatally shot after a stop by border agents.
Just moments before the attack, Omar had called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanded that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “resign or face impeachment.”
Many locals view the surge in enforcement as a direct response to President Donald Trump’s antagonism toward Omar, whom he has previously disparaged as a “radical left lunatic.” On Tuesday, responding to the outcry over the recent shootings, President Trump stated his administration was “going to de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota.
Official Condemnation
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a statement condemning the attack, emphasizing that political violence has no home in the city.
“Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis,” Frey said. “We can disagree without putting people at risk… This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.”
Rep. Omar, who made history in 2019 as the first Somali-American and one of the first two Muslim American women elected to Congress, is expected to continue her schedule as planned.
