“I’m ok” – Minnesota Congresswomen Ilhan Omar speaks after town hall attack

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has confirmed that she is doing well, following an attack at a town hall she was hosting on Tuesday, January 27.

According to police, Omar was attacked with an unknown substance during the meeting when a member in the audience used a syringe to spray an acrid-smelling liquid at her.

In a statement hours after, the Representative assured that she was “ok”, adding that she will not be cowered by intimidation.

“I’m ok. I’m a survivor, so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don’t let bullies win,” she said.

Omar thanked her supporters, “grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong”.

Reporting on the incident, police said Omar continued speaking, uninjured, as they arrested the man and forensics were conducted.

Speaking to the BBC, Jacquelynn Goessling said, "I thought it was one of her aides going up to hand her a note or something."

Another attendee, Alfred Flowers Jr, noted that he "respected her courage and strength to still stay and finish the town hall for the people".

Video from the scene shows the team shouting "make a hole" as they wrestled the man out of the room.

As he was pushed out of the room, he said that Omar was "pitting us against each other". It was not immediately clear who the man was referring to.

Commenting on the incident, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated, "Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis”.

“We can disagree without putting people at risk... This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated in our city,” he added.

Omar has been at loggerheads with President Donald Trump.

The President has made his dislike for the Congresswoman well-known, to the extent of calling her a "radical left lunatic".

Trump has also increased immigration enforcement in Minnesota, with the deployment of more Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, which was an agenda of discussion during Tuesday’s meeting.

The event was one of the regular town halls hosted by Omar, and about 100 people were in attendance in the north Minneapolis basement, expecting to hear about the presence of federal immigration officials in their town and ask questions after the second fatal shooting of an American citizen by immigration officials this month.

In January, an immigration officer fatally shot US citizen Renee Good. Last week, US citizen Alex Pretti was fatally shot after being stopped by border agents, reigniting local protests and public outcry.

At the town hall, Omar called for ICE to be "abolished" and said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should "resign or face impeachment".

It was after these comments that the man attacked.

When asked if he had seen the video, Trump’s responsewas, "I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud."

He was answering to ABC News Correspondent Rachel Scott.

"No. I really don't think about it. She probably sprayed herself, because I know her,” the President added.  

In a statement on her X account, Scott said, "I asked again if he had seen the video.” Trump replied, "I haven't seen it. No, no. I hope I don't have to bother."