U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was interrupted and allegedly sprayed with an unknown substance while speaking at a town hall meeting on Tuesday.
The incident occurred while Omar, who represents Minnesota’s 5th District, was speaking to constituents at the podium. Mid-event, a man approached the podium and appeared to spray her with an unknown substance.
Video footage captured the moment the man, described as wearing a black jacket, lunged toward Omar and discharged the liquid. Omar appeared startled but was not reported to have sustained any injuries.
Attendees and security personnel quickly intervened, tackling the individual to the ground and restraining him with his arms tied behind his back. He was then removed from the room and Omar continued to speak.
The substance sprayed remains unidentified, and no immediate details about its nature or potential effects were released. Authorities detained the man following the event, though his identity and motives have not been publicly disclosed.
Omar continued the town hall without further disruption after the disruptor was removed from the room.
NEW — Rep. Ilhan Omar was just charged by a man at a town hall event in Minneapolis. Crowd says he “sprayed her” with something.
You can hear Omar demand to continue the town hall — and she’s back to speaking now from the podium. pic.twitter.com/4OpSWHo0Z9
— Jay O’Brien (@jayobtv) January 28, 2026
Omar, who was first elected to Congress in 2018, is currently under investigation over a massive growth in valuation relating to a winery she owns. She has frequently clashed with the Trump Administration amid a crackdown on fraud cases involving Minnesota’s Somali community in recent weeks
No official statements from Omar’s office or law enforcement were immediately available regarding the incident. Investigations are ongoing as of this report.
This is a developing story.
