In brief
Anthony Kazmierczak has been charged with assaulting U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar by spraying her with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water at a Minneapolis event. The incident, caught on camera, led to a federal complaint detailing previous threats made by Kazmierczak. Omar has linked the attack to rising political tensions and has pointed fingers at the divisive rhetoric from former President Trump.
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. Additionally, court documents revealed that Kazmierczak had previously expressed extreme sentiments, stating “somebody should kill” Omar. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation. Kazmierczak's history includes criminal charges and pro-Trump online posts. Omar has publicly blamed Trump for the threats to her safety, coinciding with a volatile political situation in Minneapolis, exacerbated by recent violent actions during the White House’s immigration policies. In response to the incident, Trump insinuated that Omar may have orchestrated the attack herself, saying, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
