Muslim US Congresswoman assaulted during Minneapolis town hall meeting
Muslim US Congresswoman assaulted during Minneapolis town hall meeting
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US Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, was assaulted Tuesday evening during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis, Anadolu Agency reported.
The attack occurred as Omar addressed constituents on immigration policy, criticizing the Trump administration’s crackdown and calling for the resignation or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
An unidentified man ran toward the podium and appeared to spray Omar with a clear liquid. Security personnel quickly restrained the suspect, who was taken into custody by the Minneapolis Police Department on suspicion of third-degree assault. Omar was shaken but unharmed and returned to the podium to continue her remarks, emphasizing resilience and urging the audience not to be intimidated.
Omar later posted on social media that the incident would not deter her work, calling herself a survivor and rejecting intimidation. Forensic teams processed the scene, but the substance used in the attack was not immediately identified.
The assault came hours after President Donald Trump criticized Omar, making derogatory comments about Somalia, her country of origin. Democratic colleagues, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and civil rights organizations such as CAIR condemned the attack, linking it to years of Islamophobic and racist rhetoric against Omar.
The incident has raised concerns over threats to public officials amid rising political polarization and targeted attacks.
