MINNEAPOLIS—A man sprayed an unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) before being tackled to the ground Tuesday during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, where tensions over federal immigration enforcement have come to a head after agents fatally shot an intensive care nurse and a mother of three this month.
The audience cheered as the man, who was wearing a black jacket, was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In video of the incident, someone in the crowd can be heard saying, “Oh my god, he sprayed something on her.” Omar continued the town hall after the man was ushered out of the room.
A man is tackled to the ground after spraying an unknown substance on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) during a town hall in Minneapolis on Jan. 27, 2026. Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP
Just before that Omar called for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. “ICE cannot be reformed,” she said.
Minneapolis police did not immediately respond to a phone call and email message seeking information on the incident and whether anyone was arrested.
The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday night.
Fellow Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina (R-S.C.) denounced the assault on Omar.
“I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today” Mace said via the social platform X. “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.”
The attack came days after a man was arrested in Utah for allegedly punching Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) in the face during the Sundance Film Festival.
