Man attacks US congresswoman Ilhan Omar with unknown substance during public meeting in Minnesota

Progressive US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked by a man who tried to turn a public meeting into a humiliating incident by spraying her with an unknown substance. The incident occurred at a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, and the man was immediately arrested.

Omar was addressing residents of her district, which covers much of Minneapolis, about the chaos in the city following the killing of American citizen Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents. Pretti was the second person to be killed by these agents in less than a month.

During her speech, the man rushed at Omar and sprayed her, but security intervened and stopped him before any harm was done. Omar was not injured and continued the meeting after a brief pause, defying a security officer’s advice to cancel the event. She told him: “Please don’t let them have the show.”

Omar said in a statement: “This is the truth that this ugly man does not understand. We are strong in Minnesota and will remain steadfast no matter what they try to do.”  

She added, “I learned at a young age that you don’t give into threats.”

Her office later confirmed on social media that the attacker was in custody and that Omar was safe. It added: “She continued the meeting because she does not let bullies win.”

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