By Mariane Angela
A man rushed toward Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and sprayed her with an unknown substance during a town hall event in Minneapolis Tuesday night.
The substance came from a syringe-like device. Video captured members of the crowd yelling that the man “sprayed her” as staff and security intervened. Omar immediately pressed to keep the event going.
Omar delivered remarks critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanded that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem step down. The man hurried toward her and sprayed the substance while shouting. Security personnel subdued the individual and led him out in handcuffs as staffers urged Omar to step aside. She refused and declared loudly that the disruption wouldn’t stop the meeting.
Law enforcement quickly detained the suspect, who was taken into custody and charged with third-degree assault at the Hennepin County Jail, CBS News reported. Authorities reported that Omar was not hurt. (RELATED: Trump Criticizes Alex Pretti For Having Gun Amid Fatal Border Patrol Confrontation)
The syringe containing an unidentified liquid used by a man to spray Rep. Ilhan Omar during a town hall meeting tonight.
📷: Brandon Bell/Getty Image https://t.co/O8qeFgAf4F pic.twitter.com/5dMj6GAe4a
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 28, 2026
“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,” Omar said, CBS News reported.
The incident comes as Minnesota continues to grapple with protests and outbreaks of violence triggered by the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Top Democratic officials, including Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have called on federal immigration agencies to pull back entirely from the state.
In the aftermath, Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino is expected to leave Minnesota. President Donald Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to the state on Monday to supervise immigration enforcement operations and coordinate with investigators who are probing alleged and extensive fraud.
