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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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A man has been arrested after Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance during a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail for third-degree assault, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department confirmed to Newsweek. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Minneapolis police previously told Newsweek that officers working at the town hall observed a man "use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid onto U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar." According to videos of the incident, the man appears to shout at Omar: “You must resign… you’re tearing Minnesota apart."
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Newsweek has contacted the Minneapolis Police Department for comment in an email sent outside of regular working hours.
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Why It Matters
Shortly before the incident, Omar had called for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment. In Minneapolis, tensions over federal immigration enforcement have escalated after the fatal shootings of two residents by federal agents this month during President Donald Trump’s enforcement surge in the city.
Intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was killed on Saturday, less than three weeks after Renee Good, a mother of three, was shot dead behind the wheel of her vehicle.
The incident comes as threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in the aftermath of the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol before dipping slightly only to rise again, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Capitol Police.
Lawmakers have spoken about the impact on their ability to hold town halls and public events, and some cited the threat environment in their decisions not to seek reelection.
Last week, a man was arrested in Utah after allegedly punching U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat, at a private party during the Sundance Film Festival and telling him Trump was going to deport him.
Trump has frequently criticized Omar in recent months as his administration has focused on immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. During a Cabinet meeting in December, Trump referred to Omar as "garbage." Hours before Tuesday’s incident, the president criticized Omar as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa.
What To Know
Kazmierczak does not appear to have ever been charged with a violent crime in Minnesota. He has twice been convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol, according to court records reviewed by Newsweek. Court filings from a divorce case in 2017 said he has two children, was not employed and was receiving disability insurance payments. He has been married and divorced twice, CNN said, citing Minnesota’s official marriage and divorce records.
A bankruptcy petition for an Anthony Kazmierczak filed in Minnesota's third district in January 2019 showed he had credit, medical and legal debt. The filing said he was living in the Lynnhurst neighborhood of Minneapolis, not married, registered as disabled and receiving Social Security payments.
A Facebook profile, reported by CNN to belong to Kazmierczak, has a history of political posts, including criticism of Democrats such as former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris. In October 2021, he posted a political cartoon criticizing Omar’s security spending.
Following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September, Kazmierczak changed his profile picture to a photo of Trump speaking at a Turning Point USA event. A couple of weeks later, he changed it to a photo of Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, being comforted by Trump. He previously added badges to his profile pictures to show his support for Ukraine.
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The account describes him as an "empty nester looking to enjoy retirement and 2nd half of my adventure" with photos appearing to show him and his two children.
An X account that also appears to belong to Kazmierczak follows the accounts of several prominent conservative figures, including Charlie Kirk, Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens and Benny Johnson.
According to reporting by AP and The Times, the liquid sprayed toward Omar smelled strongly of vinegar. It was not immediately clear what the substance was, but a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department said a forensics team was called to the scene.
Omar continued speaking for about 25 more minutes after the incident, saying she would not be intimidated.
She wrote on X later on Tuesday night that she was "OK" and that a "small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work."
Her office issued a statement saying that "an agitator tried to attack the congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe."
The statement said that security and the Minneapolis Police Department "quickly apprehended the individual."
It added: "He is now in custody. The congresswoman is OK. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win."
U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement to Newsweek: "A man is in custody after he decided to assault a member of Congress—an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice. We are grateful for the rapid response from on-site security and our local law enforcement partners. We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society."
What People Are Saying
Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wrote on X: "I’m glad that Congresswoman Omar is safe. Our state has been shattered by political violence in the last year. The cruel, inflammatory, dehumanizing rhetoric by our nation’s leaders needs to stop immediately."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, wrote on X: "Unacceptable. Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk. I’m relieved Rep. @Ilhan Omar is OK and appreciate MPD for responding quickly. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city."
Representative Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, wrote on X: "I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today. 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."
President Donald Trump said in a speech to a crowd in Iowa on Tuesday that his administration would only let in immigrants who "can show that they love our country." He said: "They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar."
CAIR national executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement sent to Newsweek: "We strongly condemn the attack on Representative Ilhan Omar at her community town hall, which comes after years of racist and Islamophobic incitement against her.
"We call on all members of Congress to condemn this assault, which was entirely predictable. The dangerous incitement that politicians like President Trump, pro-Israel lobby groups like AIPAC, and anti-Muslim hate groups have spent years spewing against Representative Omar must end immediately.
"We commend Representative Omar for her courage in continuing to speak out for justice here and abroad, despite the hate and threats she has faced for doing so. The American Muslim community stands in solidarity with her. An attack on Representative Omar is an attack on all of us and on the rule of law."
What Happens Next
Kazmierczak is being held without bail, online records show. It was not immediately clear when he would make an appearance in court.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Update, 01/28/2026, 6:30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add photos.
Update, 01/28/202626, 7:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update, 01/28/2026, 10:23 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information from the MPD.
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