Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Attacked During Town Hall Event

Wed Feb 04 2026 06:56:35 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar faced an attack involving an unknown liquid while hosting a town hall in Minneapolis. Attendees reported the incident, but Omar continued her address, emphasizing her commitment to the community.

In a troubling incident at a town hall event, Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked with a mysterious substance sprayed from a syringe by an audience member. Despite the attack, which left an acrid smell in the room, Omar remained unharmed and continued the meeting, asserting her resilience against intimidation. The assailant was arrested as police conducted forensics. After the event, Omar reiterated her dedication to the community, urging attendees to stay strong.

On Tuesday, Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar experienced an unsettling attack during a town hall meeting when a man used a syringe to spray her with an unknown liquid, as reported by Minneapolis police.

Fortunately, Omar was not injured and continued to engage with her audience. The attacker was promptly arrested while forensics were initiated at the scene.

“I thought it was one of her aides going up to hand her a note or something,” recounted Jacquelynn Goessling, an attendee who noted the strong odor of the substance.

In a statement on social media, Omar reassured her constituents: 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.

This incident occurred amidst a heated community discussion about immigration enforcement, particularly following two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by immigration officials. Following the attack, Omar emphasized the resilience of the community, stating, we are Minnesota strong, to which another attendee expressed admiration for her courage in continuing the town hall despite the attack.

Video footage captured moments after the incident, showing the man being removed from the venue as he shouted about Omar's alleged divisive behavior. The liquid he sprayed on her was described as having a sour, chemical smell by a BBC journalist present at the event.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the attack, asserting that Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk... This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.

Omar, who became the first Somali-American and one of the first Muslim American women to serve in Congress in 2019, was hosting a regular town hall for nearly 100 constituents, focusing on community concerns regarding immigration policy. The meeting addressed the public's worries about ICE actions and recent events that heightened local tensions.

As the town hall progressed, Omar passionately called for the abolition of ICE, prompting her attacker to lash out. Despite calls from officials to end the meeting, Omar insisted on continuing, urging attendees not to allow the "agitators" to dominate the discussion.

This event follows ongoing tensions and public outcry over immigration enforcement actions, seen by many as a reflection of heightened political divisions exacerbated by national rhetoric. Omar’s commitment to serving her community despite threats illustrates her resolve to champion the concerns of her constituents.