Dem bin attack Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar wit unknown substance for one event wey she dey host on Tuesday, wen one audience member use syringe spray liquid for her, according to Minneapolis police.
Omar no get injury and she kontinu to dey tok. “I dey okay. I be survivor, so dis small agitator no go fit make me fear from doing my work. I no go let bullies win,” she later write for X.
Authorities neva identify wetin di liquid be yet. According to BBC journalist wey dey inside di room, e get sour smell wey resemble chemical product.
Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, don dey charged wit third-degree assault and e dey for custody, di local sheriff office tok.
Omar, one Democrat wey become di first Somali-American to serve in di US Congress for 2019, she be fierce critic of US President Donald Trump.
She don dey target di president immigration crackdown for Minnesota, wia dem shoot two US citizens die.
On Tuesday, responding to di second fatal shooting, Trump tok say im administration go “de-escalate a little bit”.
During her speaking event, Omar call for di abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), di main agency wey dey handle dis kind of operation and e don come under intense scrutiny for dia tactics.
Trump don dey fight wit Minnesota Democratic officials, and e don focus on Omar for personal attacks.
Before di Tuesday attack on di congresswoman, e tell im audience for Iowa say immigrants wey wan enter US “go need to show say dem fit love our kontri, be proud – no be like Ilhan Omar”.
In di wake of di attack on Omar, wen ABC News ask di president weda e don see di foto of di incident, and e respond say e neva see am.
“I no dey tink about her. I tink she be fraud,” Trump tell di outlet.
During di event wey happun for Tuesday, Omar tok say Trump ally Kristi Noem – wey be di Department of Homeland Security (DHS) overseer ICE – suppose “resign or face impeachment” ova recent events for her state.
For January, immigration officer fatally shoot US citizen Renee Good. And on Saturday, border agents fatally shoot US citizen Alex Pretti, afta dem stop am, wey cause locals make dem protest, and nationwide public outcry.
Na after Omar comment about Noem, dem launch attack on am.
As dem dey push am comot from di room afta im use syringe, di attacker tok say Omar dey “pit us against each oda”. E no clear wetin e mean.
Dem arrest Kazmierczak immediately and forensic pipo quick check di scene, police tok.
Officials dey beg Omar make she end di event, but di congresswoman insist say she go continue, she tell di crowd: “We go continue… we dey Minnesota strong.”
Wen she come back form di lectern, she add: “We go dey tok. Just give me 10 minutes. Abeg no let dem carry di show.”
One attendee, Alfred Flowers Jr, tell BBC say e “respect her courage and strength to still stay and finish di town hall for di pipo.”
For one post social media, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey tok say: “Violence and intimidation no get place for Minneapolis. We fit disagree witout putting pipo for risk… Dis kind behaviour no go dey tolerated for our city.”
Omar dey regularly hold such speaking events, wey dem dey call town halls for US.
On Tuesday, about 100 pipo gada attend di meeting for di north Minneapolis basement. Dem dey expect to hear about federal immigration officials wey dey for dia town and ask questions about di recent fatal shootings.
For 2019, Omar become di first Somali-American, di first African-born American, and one of di first two Muslim American women wey serve for US Congress.
Trump start im crackdown for Minneapolis in December afta some Somali immigrants dey convicted for massive fraud for state welfare programme.
Di state home na di biggest community of Somali immigrants for di US.
Di president don regularly criticised di state Democratic officials, especially Omar, wey im don call ‘radical left lunatic’ and ‘disgusting’.
Earlier dis month, Trump write for Truth Social say Omar ‘supposed dey for jail, or even worse punishment, make dem send am back to Somalia, wey dem dey consider one of di worst kontris in di world. She fit help to MAKE SOMALIA GREAT AGAIN!’
On di same day as di attack Omar, di US Capitol Police – wey dey check incidents like dis – report say dem don see 50% increase for threats to lawmakers from both political parties, dia families, aides and di Congress.
Di USCP tok say di number of threats wey dem investigate don rise for di third year in a row, to 14,938.
