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 abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.
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. In the viral videos doing the rounds, the 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.
“ICE cannot be reformed,” AP quoted Ilhan Omar as 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 to 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.
Taking to social platform
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.
