Ilhan Omar attack suspect Anthony Kazmierczak: a convicted felon who made pro-Trump posts

The man accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic US congresswoman Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of US President Donald Trump. Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was convicted of felony vehicle theft in 1989, has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence and has had numerous traffic citations, Minnesota court records show. There are also indications he has had significant financial problems, including two bankruptcy filings. Police say Kazmierczak used a syringe to squirt liquid on Omar during Tuesday’s event after she called for the abolition of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the firing or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Officers immediately tackled and arrested Kazmierczak, who was jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, police spokesman Trevor Folke said. Photos of the syringe, which fell when the man was tackled, show what appears to be a light brown liquid inside. Authorities have not publicly identified the substance. After the attack, there was a strong, vinegar-like smell in the room. Forensic scientists were called in, but none of the roughly 100 people who were there had a noticeable physical reaction to the substance. Omar continued speaking for about 25 minutes after Kazmierczak was ushered out, saying she would not be intimidated. While leaving, she said that she felt a little flustered but was not hurt and that she was going to be screened by a medical team. She later posted on social media: “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.” Kazmierczak had not been formally charged or scheduled for an initial court appearance as of Wednesday morning. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has until Thursday to charge him but could seek an extension. A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office did not immediately return a call seeking further information. It was unclear if Kazmierczak had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. The county’s chief public defender, Michael Berger, said the case had not been assigned to his office. A neighbour told the New York Post that Kazmierczak said he was going to Omar’s town hall and “I might get arrested”. In social media posts, Kazmierczak described himself as a former network engineer who lived in Minneapolis. Among other things, he made comments critical of former US president Joe Biden, a Democrat, and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars”. Trump, a Republican, “wants the US is stronger and more prosperous”, Kazmierczak wrote. “Stop other countries from stealing from us. Bring back the fear that enemies back away from and gain respect that If anyone threatens ourselves or friends we will [expletive] them up.” In another post, Kazmierczak asked, “When will descendants of slaves pay restitution to Union soldiers families for freeing them/dying for them, and not sending them back to Africa?” Following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September, Kazmierczak for a time changed his profile picture on Facebook to a photo of Trump embracing Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. Omar, a progressive, has been a frequent target of Trump’s barbs since she joined Congress in 2019. That year, Trump urged Omar and three other freshmen congresswomen of colour known as “the squad” to “go back” to their countries if they wanted to criticise the US. Omar was the only one of the four born outside the US, having immigrated to the country as a child when her family fled violence in Somalia. Trump stepped up his criticism of Omar in recent months as he turned his focus on the Minneapolis-St Paul area, which is home to about 84,000 people of Somali descent – nearly a third of the Somalis living in the US. During a cabinet meeting in December, he referred to her as “garbage”. And he has linked the Twin Cities immigration crackdown to a series of fraud cases involving government programmes in which most of the defendants have roots in the East African country. The White House did not respond to a Tuesday message seeking comment. But when asked about the attack on Tuesday night, Trump told ABC News that he had not watched the footage and accused Omar of staging the attack. “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,” Trump said. US lawmakers have discussed the impact of the threatening political climate on their ability to hold town halls and public events, with some even citing it in their decisions not to seek re-election.

Ilhan Omar attack suspect Anthony Kazmierczak: a convicted felon who made pro-Trump posts

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}After the US congresswoman was squirted with an unknown liquid, Trump accused her of staging the incident

After the US congresswoman was squirted with an unknown liquid, Trump accused her of staging the incident