The FBI is investigating the attack on Democratic
politician Ilhan Omar by a man who sprayed her with an unknown substance.
minnesota representative Targeted at an event in Minneapolis on Tuesday Where he called for the dismantling of ICE – the controversial immigration enforcement unit.
The man who attacked him during his address was identified by police as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, who was arrested for third-degree assault.
US federal law explicitly mandates the FBI to investigate attacks on lawmakers.
The agency remained largely silent about the incident until Wednesday evening.
It told Sky’s US partner network, NBC News: “The FBI is investigating this matter. To maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigation, there are no additional details available for release at this time.”
Ms Omar gave a press conference the day after the attack and blamed Donald Trump. He has repeatedly criticised her and last month called her “trash”.
He has also insulted his birthplace, Somalia, calling it a “disaster” and “not even a country”.
Omar is originally from Somalia. Photo: AP
‘Trump is obsessed with me.’
Ms Omar declared, “Every time the President of the United States has used hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community I represent, my risk of death increases.”
She said that “if Donald Trump had not been in office and if he had not been so obsessed with me,” she would not have become such a target.
“I believe the truth of the situation is that if Donald Trump had not been in office, I would not have been where I am today, would have had to pay for security, and would have had to think about providing security for me,” she said.
Read more from Sky News:
King speaks about reaction
US plans to check tourists’ social media
Ms Omar, now an American citizen, fled Somalia with her family during the civil war when she was a child. She is the first Somali-American member of Congress.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul area is home to approximately 84,000 people of Somali origin – about a third of the total number of Somalis living in the US.
Thousands of ICE agents began being deployed to the city, Minnesota’s largest, on 5th January.
According to the government department, its aim was to arrest “fraudsters, murderers, rapists and gang members”.
This came after a right-wing online influencer alleged that several childcare facilities run by Somali residents in Minnesota committed welfare fraud.
two protesters, renee good And Alex Preethi He has since been shot and killed by agents. who were later included. He has been sent on leave amid growing protests.
