Man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Omar is charged with assaulting
and intimidating her
[January 30, 2026] By
ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and STEVE KARNOWSKI
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department has charged a man who squirted
apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at an event in
Minneapolis, according to court papers made public Thursday.
The man arrested for Tuesday’s attack, Anthony Kazmierczak, faces a
charge of forcibly assaulting, opposing, impeding and intimidating Omar,
according to a complaint filed in federal court.
Authorities determined that the substance was water and apple cider
vinegar, according to an affidavit. After Kazmierczak sprayed Omar with
the liquid, he appeared to say, “She's not resigning. You're splitting
Minnesotans apart,” the affidavit says. Authorities also say that
Kazmierczak told a close associate several years ago that “somebody
should kill” Omar, court documents say.
Kazmierczak appeared briefly in federal court Thursday afternoon. His
attorney, Jean Brandl, told the judge her client was unmedicated at the
time of the incident and has not had access to the medications he needs
to treat Parkinson’s disease and other serious conditions he suffers
from.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster ordered that Kazmierczak remain in
custody and told officials he needs to see a nurse when he is
transferred to the Sherburne County Jail.
Kazmierczak also faces state charges in Hennepin County for terroristic
threats and fifth-degree assault, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty
announced Thursday.
“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,” Moriarty said. “The trust of our community in the federal
government keeping politics out of public safety has been eroded by
their actions. A state-level conviction is not subject to a presidential
pardon now or in the future.”
The attack came during a perilous political moment in Minneapolis, where
two people have been fatally shot by federal agents during the White
House’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
Kazmierczak has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive
of President Donald Trump, a Republican.
Omar, a refugee from Somalia, has long been a fixture of Trump’s
anti-immigrant rhetoric. After she was elected seven years ago, Trump
said she should “go back” to her country. He recently described her as
“garbage” and said she should be investigated. During a speech in Iowa
earlier this week, shortly before Omar was attacked, he said immigrants
need to be proud of the United States — “not like Ilhan Omar.”
Omar blamed Trump on Wednesday for threats to her safety.
[to top of second column]
|
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., stands during a press conference on
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
“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,” Omar told reporters.
Trump accused Omar of staging the attack, telling ABC News, “She
probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a leading Muslim civil rights
group, praised federal prosecutors' decision to file charges against
Kazmierczak.
“We welcome these federal charges for the attack on Representative Ilhan
Omar as an important step toward accountability and justice," CAIR
National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement. "The
dangerous climate of dehumanization that inevitably leads to such
violent acts puts public servants and entire communities at risk.”
Kazmierczak was convicted of felony auto 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.
In social media posts, Kazmierczak criticized former President Joe Biden
and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars.” Trump “wants the US is
stronger and more prosperous,” he wrote. “Stop other countries from
stealing from us.”
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?”
Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years,
peaking in 2021 following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob
of Trump supporters before dipping slightly, only to climb again,
according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Capitol Police.
Officials said they investigated nearly 15,000 “concerning statements,
behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress,
their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex” in 2025.
___
Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporter R.J. Rico in
Atlanta contributed.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
