Watch | Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquid during Minneapolis town hall meeting
Democratic representative Ilhan Omar was attacked during a town hall in Minneapolis, where a man sprayed her with an unknown substance. She affirmed her resilience, stating she won't be intimidated.
Democratic representative Ilhan Omar was attacked while addressing a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, where a man sprayed her with an unknown substance, AP reported. Moments after this attack, authorities nabbed the assailant and pinned him to the ground. This incident happened just before Omar raised calls for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.
“ICE cannot be reformed,” AP quoted Ilhan Omar as saying.
Tensions over federal immigration enforcement flared after 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was shot dead by ICE in Minneapolis on 24 January. This marked second fatal shooting this month of a person at the hands of immigration law enforcement.
In the viral videos doing the rounds, Ilhan Omar's 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.
The accused was arrested and ushered out of the room by Ilhan Omar's security. He was charged with third-degree assault, Minneapolis police spokesperson Trevor Folke said in an email to AP. Undeterred, Omar continued the town hall and said there was a strong, vinegar-like smell when the man pushed on the syringe. Omar affirmed her resilience, stating she won't be intimidated.
Watch video here:
Taking to social platform X, Ilhan Omar later wrote, “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.”
While walking out of the venue, the congresswoman stressed that she felt a little flustered but was not hurt as she said that she was going to be screened by a medical team.
Donald Trump criticizes Ilhan Omar
US President Donald Trump has at several times slammed the congresswoman. He launched verbal attacks at Ilhan Omar in December during a Cabinet meeting and called her and her friends “garbage”. During Tuesday's address, the Donald Trump criticized Omar as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa. “They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar,” AP quoted the US President as saying.
“She comes from a country that’s a disaster. So probably, it’s considered, I think — it’s not even a country," the 79-year-old Republican leader added.
Amid outcry over Alex Pretti's tragic death, Donald Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take over his administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. During an interview on Fox News, Trump remarked that the administration is "going to de-escalate a little bit” by dispatching Homan to Minnesota.