Ilhan Omar giving her speech shortly before the attack.Image: keystone
Prominent Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked by a man in the audience during an appearance in Minneapolis.
01/28/2026, 05:06January 28, 2026, 05:32
Omar was calling for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in light of the brutal crackdown by federal security forces in the city when the unknown perpetrator suddenly stood up, walked towards her and sprayed her with an unrecognizable substance.
Videos of the incident show the attacker spraying a liquid on Omar and swearing at her. Security forces overpower the man, take him to the ground and then lead him out of the room.
The man splashed Omar, shouted something to her and then moved away from her before he was overpowered.Video: watson/X
In the few seconds before a bodyguard intervened, the man did not appear to attempt to pounce on or further physically attack the MP standing directly in front of him at the podium.
Security forces overpowered the attacker.Image: keystone
Omar continued her performance afterwards. You shouldn’t let attackers have the last word, said the 43-year-old. People like the perpetrator do not understand that the state of Minnesota and its citizens are strong and resilient. “We remain resilient – whatever they may throw at us,” said Omar to cheers and applause from those in attendance. “I will finish my speech.”
She later wrote on Platform X that she was doing well. A “little troublemaker” will not intimidate them and stop them from doing their work. Omar thanked the citizens of her constituency who stood by her. Her office said the attacker used a syringe to inject her with an unknown substance. He was arrested.
Trump repeatedly attacks Omar verbally
US President Donald Trump repeatedly attacks the black MP. Given her Somali roots, he has often suggested to the US citizen that she should “go back” to Somalia. At times he also described the left-wing MP as “nasty” or made fun of the Muslim woman’s headscarf. Critics describe Trump’s attacks as racist.
For some conservative Republicans, the Democrat Omar is a popular enemy image – she is politically far to the left, a successful black Muslim and is always unbending despite all criticism. Omar has also reported death threats against her in the past.
Minneapolis is in turmoil
The city of Minneapolis, which Omar represents in Congress, has been in turmoil for weeks. The reason is a massive and often brutal deployment of highly armed federal security forces who enforce Trump’s rigorous deportation policy. The mood in the city is extremely tense – even after two killings of US citizens by federal security forces.
When Omar was just eight years old, her family fled Somalia, a crisis state in the Horn of Africa. The current MP then moved to Minneapolis with her family in 1997. She has been a member of the House of Representatives in Washington since 2019. (sda/dpa/con)