Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked at an event she was hosting on Tuesday, when an audience member used a syringe to spray liquid at her, Minneapolis police said.
Omar was uninjured and continued to speak. I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win, she later wrote on X.
Authorities have not yet identified what the liquid was. According to a BBC journalist in the room, it had a sour smell similar to a chemical product.
Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, has been charged with third-degree assault and is being held in custody, the local sheriff's office said.
Omar, a Democrat who became in 2019 the first Somali-American to serve in the US Congress, is a fierce critic of US President Donald Trump.
She has recently targeted the president's immigration crackdown in Minnesota, during which two US citizens have been shot dead.
On Tuesday, responding to the second fatal shooting, Trump said his administration was going to de-escalate a little bit.
During her speaking event, Omar called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is one of the main agencies tasked with carrying out the operation and has come under intense scrutiny for its tactics.
Trump has frequently clashed with Minnesota's Democratic officials, including Omar, who has often been singled out for personal attacks.
In the wake of the attack on Omar, Mayor Jacob Frey expressed that violence and intimidation will not be tolerated in Minneapolis.
Omar's ongoing efforts and community engagement in town halls highlight her commitment to her constituents and addressing pressing social issues despite facing threats and aggression.
