Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

The Grand Illuminist

(2,025 posts)
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 08:35 PM Tuesday

Man douses Ilhan Omar with unknown substance at town hall in Minneapolis

Source: USA Today

Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat born in Somalia and rhetorical target for President Donald Trump, was sprayed with an unknown substance by a man at a town hall event in Minneapolis late on Jan. 27.

The man who sprayed the substance rushed the U.S. congresswoman as she called for ICE to be abolished and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached. The man spoke to Omar as he sprayed the material at her torso; it’s unclear what he said or what he sprayed.

Omar asked for a napkin and vowed to continue with the meeting: "We will continue," she said. "They are not going to get away with this."

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/27/ilhan-omar-sprayed-with-unknown-substance-at-minneapolis-town-hall/88386977007/

37 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Man douses Ilhan Omar with unknown substance at town hall in Minneapolis (Original Post) The Grand Illuminist Tuesday OP
Was he arrested? SheltieLover Tuesday #1
Yes! He is in jail mysteryowl Tuesday #11
Ty! SheltieLover Tuesday #17
He did what he set out to do. The Grand Illuminist Yesterday #19
How awful. PittBlue Tuesday #2
Her security guy immediately grabbed the guy and wrapped him up. onenote Tuesday #7
She's so freaking brave Blue Owl Tuesday #3
Who was the man? Dumpy Tuesday #4
Seems to me like Codifer Tuesday #5
And did everyone see her reaction? She didn't hide or cower... SKKY Tuesday #6
She's so unflappable. I love watching her in interviews. ❤️ littlemissmartypants Tuesday #8
Disgusting. electric_blue68 Tuesday #9
Paid agitator is my guess MaineBlueBear Tuesday #10
I think she should have gone in snother room and changed her sweater Figarosmom Tuesday #12
I saw it on twitter/X. The overwhelming majority of comments said it was "staged." It sure didn't look staged. Why are Fil1957 Tuesday #13
Because the right has a history of staging these kind of things sboatcar Yesterday #26
Everything the right warns or accuses anyone of quakerboy Yesterday #32
I think she likely recognized him. LeftInTX 23 hrs ago #34
Don't forget that Trump's rhetoric (hate speech) incited this violence. thought crime Tuesday #14
Trump has been slandering Ilhan Omar for a very long time. OGBuzz Tuesday #15
Not just Trump, but his followers, podcasters, and media personalities. The Grand Illuminist Yesterday #20
I just found the video on imgur Sector 001 Tuesday #16
Imagine MagaMike in that situation pissing his pants. NoMoreRepugs Tuesday #18
She apparently Icanthinkformyself Yesterday #21
She charged and was about to throw a punch at him! What a badass. mainer Yesterday #22
She was going to deck that guy! OldBaldy1701E Yesterday #23
Why do the JustAnotherGen Yesterday #24
Trump's response when asked about the attack: sop Yesterday #25
HIs name and address will be known for all to see. That could spell danger with an accelerant. twodogsbarking Yesterday #27
Thank goodness he didn't have a Gun YoshidaYui Yesterday #28
Her security orangecrush Yesterday #30
Incredibly, this is an actual photo New York Post used for the guy who attacked Ilhan Omar. mahatmakanejeeves Yesterday #29
The same fuckheads who wore ear tampons when Trump was "shot" Orrex Yesterday #31
She is what America is all about. I would fight for her. twodogsbarking Yesterday #33
FBI is taking over the investigation MichMan 23 hrs ago #35
Isn't that reassuring? TomSlick 22 hrs ago #37
Wonder if he was paid?? What was it he squirted all over her, and what was his criminal background. n/t Evolve Dammit 22 hrs ago #36

mysteryowl

(8,519 posts)
11. Yes! He is in jail
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 10:44 PM
Tuesday

and will be charged with at least, 3rd degree assault.
No getting out of this you f**ker!

...a man quickly grabbed by security guards and later booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault.

Blue Owl

(58,444 posts)
3. She's so freaking brave
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 08:59 PM
Tuesday

If this would have happened to a cowardly Repuke, they would have gone running scared like fucking Josh Hawley or Roger Marshall

SKKY

(12,775 posts)
6. And did everyone see her reaction? She didn't hide or cower...
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 09:07 PM
Tuesday

...she went after him ready to do work, punch drawn ready to throw. Respect Queen!

Figarosmom

(10,152 posts)
12. I think she should have gone in snother room and changed her sweater
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 10:48 PM
Tuesday

Before continuing the town hall. They said it smelled awful. It could have been some sort of solvent or urine even.

Fil1957

(610 posts)
13. I saw it on twitter/X. The overwhelming majority of comments said it was "staged." It sure didn't look staged. Why are
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 10:55 PM
Tuesday

people so stuck in their ideology, that they will ignore the obvious and make things up if it doesn't fit in with their dogma.

Before Trump, I had no idea how many fucked up stupid people are in this country.

sboatcar

(770 posts)
26. Because the right has a history of staging these kind of things
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 09:57 AM
Yesterday

Remember that lady who had herself cut up and then 'kidnapped' and it turned out to be all fake, and the woman who carved a backwards B on her face and said she was attacked by Obama supporters. They stage that kind of thing all the time, so they assume everyone does.

quakerboy

(14,764 posts)
32. Everything the right warns or accuses anyone of
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 01:09 PM
Yesterday

Is what they have done or plan to do.

LeftInTX

(34,017 posts)
34. I think she likely recognized him.
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 05:35 PM
23 hrs ago

Every congress member has the "usual suspects" at their town halls. According to his mother, he has Parkinson's.

He's likely trolled her before.

These types of trolls are quite common. Usually it doesn't escalate beyond verbal stuff. She just seemed to have "Oh it's you" look on her face. That isn't to say this isn't a potentially dangerous situation.

thought crime

(1,322 posts)
14. Don't forget that Trump's rhetoric (hate speech) incited this violence.
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 10:57 PM
Tuesday

We need to be aware that our leaders face real danger now.

OGBuzz

(58 posts)
15. Trump has been slandering Ilhan Omar for a very long time.
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 11:03 PM
Tuesday

He even did it in Davos in front of an audience who likely had no idea who she is. An immigrant woman of color, the small man just can't help himself

The Grand Illuminist

(2,025 posts)
20. Not just Trump, but his followers, podcasters, and media personalities.
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 04:21 AM
Yesterday

They just started using weaponized speech and the "lone wolf" comes out.

Icanthinkformyself

(365 posts)
21. She apparently
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 08:33 AM
Yesterday

dropped an F-bomb when she was spayed and the right wing media is screaming for the left to tone down the rhetoric. "Murder good, speech bad', said the Cro-Magnon Man conservative. Every violent act is caused by or being committed by right wing nuts.

mainer

(12,509 posts)
22. She charged and was about to throw a punch at him! What a badass.
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 09:06 AM
Yesterday

Toughest congressperson in America rears back for a punch, and refuses to cut short townhall, after asshole sprays her with something.

Wedge LIVE!â„¢ (@wedge.live) 2026-01-28T02:12:35.378Z

OldBaldy1701E

(10,538 posts)
23. She was going to deck that guy!
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 09:12 AM
Yesterday

He is lucky that the security detail got to him first!

Go Rep. Omar!

JustAnotherGen

(37,749 posts)
24. Why do the
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 09:19 AM
Yesterday

Magapubs who do this shit all look like they smell of anal fistulas and and chronic halitosis?

sop

(17,791 posts)
25. Trump's response when asked about the attack:
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 09:29 AM
Yesterday

(MS NOW) “ 'I think she’s a fraud,' the president said, overlooking his own troubled past with fraud allegations. The Republican added, 'She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her'...Asked if he’d seen the video of the incident, Trump, who’s obsessed over Omar for far too long, said that he had not, adding, 'I hope I don’t have to bother.' "

YoshidaYui

(45,040 posts)
28. Thank goodness he didn't have a Gun
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 10:49 AM
Yesterday

I wonder if she has secret service protection or at least hired Security.

orangecrush

(29,062 posts)
30. Her security
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 10:59 AM
Yesterday

Seemed surprisingly slow dealing with this.

Just my take.

And no, I don't think it was "staged".

mahatmakanejeeves

(68,632 posts)
29. Incredibly, this is an actual photo New York Post used for the guy who attacked Ilhan Omar.
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 10:57 AM
Yesterday

Reposted by You Can’t Have Popehats
https://bsky.app/profile/kenwhite.bsky.social

Joe Berkowitz
‪@joeberkowitz.bsky.social‬

Incredibly, this is an actual photo New York Post used for the guy who attacked Ilhan Omar.

MAGA fuckface in cozy red sweater, holding dog also wearing sweater, against a background of vivid red foliage.
ALT

Endlessly useful Zack Fox tweet from 2018: this how photos be lookin in headlines when a white man kills his entire family. (it's a guy on a jetski with wife and daughter.)
ALT
9:59 AM · Jan 28, 2026

Incredibly, this is an actual photo New York Post used for the guy who attacked Ilhan Omar.

Joe Berkowitz (@joeberkowitz.bsky.social) 2026-01-28T14:59:41.350Z

Orrex

(66,768 posts)
31. The same fuckheads who wore ear tampons when Trump was "shot"
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 11:33 AM
Yesterday

Are claiming that this was staged, of course

TomSlick

(12,926 posts)
37. Isn't that reassuring?
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 06:48 PM
22 hrs ago


Minnesota officials will not cede the investigation to Kash Patel.

Evolve Dammit

(21,574 posts)
36. Wonder if he was paid?? What was it he squirted all over her, and what was his criminal background. n/t
Wed Jan 28, 2026, 06:21 PM
22 hrs ago
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Man douses Ilhan Omar wit...