A man who allegedly assaulted Rep. Ilhan Omar at a Minnesota town hall rally hinted to a neighbor beforehand that he “might get arrested” during the event.
Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, reportedly lunged at the congresswoman while she was discussing the need to abolish ICE and sprayed a foul-smelling amber liquid at her using a syringe.
Days prior to the incident at City Hall, Kazmierczak’s neighbor, Brian Kelly, recounted that Kazmierczak mentioned wanting to see Omar speak and asked if he could watch his dog, suggesting something might happen.
According to Kelly, Kazmierczak said, “I’m going to go to Omar’s case,” and went on to indicate he might get arrested. Kelly thought it was nonsense, saying, “I didn’t believe he would do anything stupid. I said, ‘Sure, I’ll walk her.'” The next day, Kazmierczak remarked, “Don’t worry, I figured it out,” which Kelly interpreted as him backing down.
After Kazmierczak sprayed the liquid, Omar chased him, but he was soon tackled and removed from the Urban League Twin Cities facility in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis police arrested Kazmierczak, booking him into the Hennepin County Jail on charges related to third-degree assault, a spokesperson confirmed.
Kelly mentioned that Kazmierczak had suffered a spinal injury in a car accident years ago, leading him to be “on a lot of medication.” He also noted that Kazmierczak has Parkinson’s disease, making it challenging for him to function normally.
Describing Kazmierczak, who had posted support for President Trump on social media, Kelly called him “a pretty conservative guy” who harbors dislike for Omar.
Kelly expressed surprise but not shock over the incident, stating, “If he said he was going to City Hall, I thought he would stand up and say something stupid. I can’t imagine him assaulting or spraying anyone.”
After the substance was thrown on her, Omar requested a napkin, but bystanders described the smell as horrible. Although her aides encouraged her to seek medical attention, she remained unharmed and continued her remarks.
Forensic scientists were called to the scene, and about an hour later, Omar communicated on X, saying, “I’m fine.” She added, “I’m a survivor, so this little instigator won’t threaten my job. I won’t let the bully win.”
