Anthony Kazmierczak, who sprayed Ilhan Omar, is a Trump fan with Parkinson’s disease: ‘Pretty conservative guy’

A 55-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly spraying an unknown substance at Congresswoman and Somali leader Ilhan Omar during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The suspect was later identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, who used a syringe to target Omar, who was addressing supporters about protests against ICE.Omar remained on stage after the attack and almost physically confronted Anthony right after she got sprayed. “These f***ing ***holes are not going to get away with it,” she said in footage recorded by C-Span. The substance sprayed on Omar remains unknown, but photographs from the Associated Press showed a light-brown liquid inside the syringe. Kazmierczak has been charged with third-degree assault and is listed on the Hennepin County jail roster.

Events before the attack

Kazmierczak’s neighbour, Brian Kelley, described him as a “pretty conservative guy” who “doesn’t like Omar.” Kelley recalled that Kazmierczak asked him to watch his dog before the event. “He said, ‘I’m going to this Omar thing.’ I’m like, Omar what? He said ‘This town hall thing.’ And he said, ‘I might get arrested,’” Kelley told the New York Post. Kelly also said, “I figured it was nonsense. He wasn’t going to do anything stupid.”Kelley added that Kazmierczak was “heavily medicated” due to a car accident nine years ago that affected his spine and that he suffers from Parkinson’s disease.

Right-wing on social media

In his social media, Kazmierczak had views similar to those of some typical MAGA influencers. Under a Facebook profile using the name “Andy,” he criticised the Biden administration, compared former President Biden to the Looney Tunes character Elmer Fudd, and reshared posts from conservative commentator Ben Shapiro.Kazmierczak has shown support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, posting messages describing Vladimir Putin as an “evil leader.” He has also shared images including his dog, an Israeli flag, and even US President Donald Trump at a Turning Point USA event following Charlie Kirk’s assassination.In his Facebook bio, Kazmierczak describes himself as an “empty nester looking to enjoy retirement and 2nd half of my adventure,” listing 22 years of work as a phone company business consultant. Court records indicate he has two previous DUI convictions and has been married and divorced twice.

The attack

The spray attack occurred shortly after Omar criticised ICE agents in Minneapolis. “ICE cannot be reformed,” she said during her remarks. “It cannot be rehabilitated. We must abolish ICE for good, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment.”Hours earlier, Trump had criticised Omar in Iowa, saying immigrants should only be allowed into the country if they “love the United States.” After the attack, Trump said Omar planned the attack and had herself sprayed. “I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud,” Trump said. The MAGA chief has also claimed Omar married her brother so that he could get entry into US.