Rep. Ilhan Imar of Minnesota was attacked Tuesday during a town hall. File Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked during a town hall Tuesday in Minneapolis by a man who sprayed a substance on the congresswoman as she spoke. Minneapolis police said the assailant was arrested.
Omar, D-Minn., was speaking behind a lecturn to constituents against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown on the city when a man sitting in the row of seats stood up and sprayed her with an unknown substance while yelling something intelligible at her.
A second man, apparently a Minneapolis police officer, then grabbed the man from behind and tackled him to the ground, where others joined in detaining the assailant.
The town hall was streamed online by C-SPAN. In the broadcast, someone is heard asking Omar if she knew what the man attacked her with. The person also remarked that it had a strong, offensive odor.
“I don’t know,” the congresswoman replied.
Members of the gasped. Someone said, “Oh my God!”
Omar resisted calls for her to get checked and continue the town hall.
“We’re going to keep talking,” Omar said.
“Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand. We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
Omar then continued from where she was interrupted, calling for the resignation of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as the assailant was removed from the room.
The Minneapolis Police Department told UPI in an emailed statement that officers working the event immediately arrested the assailant, who was booked into Hennepin County Jail on third-degree assault charges.
MPD said the man used “a syringe to spray an unknown liquid” onto Omar, who was uninjured in the incident.
“Minneapolis forensic scientists responded to process the scene,” it said.
Omar’s office released a statement shortly afterward, confirming that the congresswoman “was okay.”
“She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win,” it said.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) assaulted during town hall meeting: "Here's the reality that people like this ugly man don't understand; we are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us." pic.twitter.com/Ud5l3yP4lQ— CSPAN (@cspan) January 28, 2026
This is a developing story.
