Source: Radio New Zealand
A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar. AFP / Octavio Jones
US Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been targeted during a speech by a man who sprayed an unidentified liquid at her from a syringe before being tackled by security guards, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
The man was led out of the premises as Omar, a frequent target of attacks by President Donald Trump, continued her speech saying “we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw on us.”
The incident took place during a town hall in the US city of Minneapolis, where two US citizens have been killed this month in a violent anti-immigration crackdown, provoking growing unrest.
Omar had just finished calling for the Trump administration to reverse its current course when the attack occurred.
“ICE cannot be reformed, it cannot be rehabilitated. We must abolish ICE for good,” Omar said, to applause. “And (Department of Homeland Security) Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment.”
After Omar uttered those words, a man sprang up from the front row, made a remark and sprayed the congresswoman, as security leapt to grab him. Omar raised a fist and stepped toward the attacker before returning to the podium.
After uttering a few expletives, and against her team’s vocal concerns that she should not continue, the congresswoman took the microphone.
“Here’s the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand: We are Minnesota strong. And we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw on us,” Omar said.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump blasted Omar and Somalia during a speech in Iowa, saying the Mogadishu-born congresswoman “comes from a country that’s a disaster.”
Trump has ordered 143 strikes against Somalia in his second term, according to US think tank New America, and has pulled back diplomatic relations, including recently stopping humanitarian aid.
– AFP
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
