Man Charged After Incident Involving Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — A man has been charged by the Justice Department following an incident where he sprayed apple cider vinegar on U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar at a public event in Minneapolis, according to court documents released on Thursday.
The accused, Anthony Kazmierczak, is facing charges of forcibly assaulting and intimidating Rep. Omar, as detailed in a federal court complaint. The affidavit notes that the liquid was a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. During the incident, Kazmierczak allegedly declared, “She’s not resigning. You’re splitting Minnesotans apart.” Authorities also uncovered past statements from Kazmierczak where he expressed harmful intentions toward Omar.
Appearing briefly in federal court, Kazmierczak’s attorney, Jean Brandl, stated that her client was not taking his medication for Parkinson’s disease and other ailments at the time of the incident. U.S. Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster ordered Kazmierczak to remain in custody and emphasized the need for medical attention during his transfer to Sherburne County Jail.
On a state level, Kazmierczak is also facing charges in Hennepin County for terroristic threats and fifth-degree assault, as announced by County Attorney Mary Moriarty. Moriarty remarked on the incident, “This was a disturbing assault on Rep. Omar, who is frequently the target of vilifying language by fellow elected officials and members of the public.” She further commented on the implications of a state-level conviction, noting it is not subject to a future presidential pardon.
The event took place amid heightened political tensions in Minneapolis, a city recently affected by two fatal shootings during a federal immigration crackdown. Kazmierczak, whose online activity shows support for former President Donald Trump, has a criminal record that includes a 1989 felony auto theft and various driving offenses. He has also filed for bankruptcy twice.
Rep. Omar, a Somalian refugee and frequent subject of Trump’s rhetoric, attributed the attack to the former president’s statements. “Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket,” she said. Trump, however, accused Omar of orchestrating the incident herself.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) applauded the federal charges against Kazmierczak. CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad commented, “We welcome these federal charges for the attack on Representative Ilhan Omar as an important step toward accountability and justice.”
Threats against members of Congress have seen an uptick in recent years, reaching a peak in 2021 after the January 6 Capitol attack. According to the U.S. Capitol Police, nearly 15,000 instances of concerning communications targeting Congress members were recorded in 2025.
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