Rep. Ilhan Omar Endures Apple Cider Vinegar Spray Attack at Minneapolis Town Hall
By Jim Mishler | Wednesday, 28 January 2026 06:58 PM EST
The substance sprayed at Rep. Ilhan Omar during a town hall event in northern Minneapolis on Tuesday night has been verified as apple cider vinegar.
Early reports indicated that some attendees in the room detected a vinegar scent.
The incident occurred when a man approached Omar and sprayed a liquid using a syringe before being subdued by security personnel.
Omar’s office confirmed that the substance used in the attack was apple cider vinegar.
Minneapolis police identified the suspect as Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, of Minneapolis.
Police reported that Kazmierczak was arrested on preliminary charges of third-degree assault and booked into the Hennepin County Jail.
Court records indicate that Kazmierczak has a prior felony conviction for auto theft.
The incident occurred hours before the U.S. Capitol Police released its 2025 annual threat assessment, which reported a 37% increase in threat cases involving members of Congress, their staff, and families, rising from 9,474 cases in 2024 to 14,938 in 2025.
Omar addressed the incident on X, stating: “I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.”
Reaction to the incident varied among Republican figures.
President Donald Trump commented on the incident while speaking with reporters at the White House and said he had not seen video of the attack. “No. I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud. I really don’t think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” Trump stated.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who has frequently clashed with Omar, expressed deep concern 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.”
Omar’s office issued a brief statement after the incident, noting: “Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”
