Minnesota: Somali-origin US lawmaker Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance during a town hall meeting she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, triggering security concerns.
A purported video of the incident surfaced on social media shortly after the attack on Tuesday (local time) and began circulating widely online.
The footage shows a man approaching Omar as she was addressing the gathering from the dais.
Moments later, he is seen spraying a thin stream of an unidentified substance directly onto her face before being restrained.
Following the incident, the Democratic Representative from Minnesota took to X and said, “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.”
At the time of the attack, Omar was addressing the town hall in the aftermath of the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Pretti was shot dead by a US Border Patrol agent on January 24 while protesting federal agents’ operations in the state.
The handling of the case by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has drawn widespread criticism, with several voices demanding her resignation.
Omar had also publicly stated that Noem must resign or face impeachment. The attack on the lawmaker occurred shortly after these remarks, and videos of the incident went viral on social media.
While the motive behind the assault is not yet known, Omar appeared unharmed and insisted on continuing her speech following the incident, according to reports from the venue.
Minneapolis police said that officers at the scene witnessed a man using a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at Omar.
The suspect was immediately taken into custody and booked into the county jail on charges of third-degree assault, local media reports said, quoting the police officials.
Police also confirmed that forensic scientists were called to the scene to examine the substance used in the attack.
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions, as President Donald Trump has frequently criticised Omar and has intensified verbal attacks against her in recent months, particularly as he has focused on Minneapolis.
During a Cabinet meeting in December, Trump referred to Omar as “garbage” and claimed that “her friends are garbage” as well.
Earlier in the day, the President again targeted Omar while addressing a crowd in Iowa, saying that his administration would only allow immigrants who “can show that they love our country”.
“They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar,” he said, prompting loud boos from the crowd upon the mention of her name.
“She comes from a country that’s a disaster. So probably, it’s considered, I think — it’s not even a country,” Trump added, continuing his criticism of the Minnesota lawmaker.
(IANS)
