The man who sprayed Rep. Ilhan Omar with apple cider vinegar has been charged with assault

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department has charged a man who sprayed apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at an event in Minneapolis, according to court papers unsealed Thursday.

Read more: What we know about the man arrested in the attack on Representative Ilhan Omar

The man arrested in connection with Tuesday’s attack, Anthony Kazmierczak, faces charges of forcibly assaulting, opposing, obstructing and intimidating Omar, according to a complaint filed in federal court.

Authorities determined that the substance was water and apple cider vinegar, according to an affidavit. After Kazmierczak sprayed Omar with the liquid, he appeared to say, “She is not resigning. You are dividing the people of Minnesota,” the affidavit said. Authorities also say Kazmierczak told a confidant several years ago that “someone has to kill” Ilhan Omar, according to court documents.

Kazmierczak appeared briefly in federal court Thursday afternoon. His lawyer, Jeanne Brandel, told the judge that her client was not receiving treatment at the time of the accident and was unable to obtain the medications he needed to treat his Parkinson’s disease and other serious conditions.

U.S. Magistrate Dulcie Foster ordered Kazmierczak to remain in custody and told officials he needed to see a nurse when he was transferred to the Sherburne County Jail.

Hennepin County Prosecutor Mary Moriarty announced Thursday that Kazmierczak also faces state charges in Hennepin County for terroristic threats and fifth-degree assault.

“This was a disturbing assault on Rep. Omar, who is frequently the target of defamatory language from fellow elected officials and members of the public,” Moriarty said. “Our community’s trust in a federal government that works to keep politics out of public safety has been eroded by their actions. A statewide conviction is not subject to presidential clemency now or in the future.”

The attack came during a fraught political moment in Minneapolis, where two people were shot and killed by federal agents during the White House’s aggressive immigration crackdown.

Kazmierczak has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of Republican President Donald Trump.

Omar, a refugee from Somalia, has long been a staple of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. After her election seven years ago, Trump said she should “go back” to her country. He recently described her as “trash” and said she should be investigated. During a speech in Iowa earlier this week, shortly before Omar was attacked, he said immigrants needed to be proud of the United States — “not like Ilhan Omar.”

Omar blamed Trump on Wednesday for threatening her safety.

“Every time the president of the United States chooses to use hate speech to talk about me and the community I represent, my death threats increase dramatically,” Ilhan Omar told reporters.

Trump accused Ilhan Omar of orchestrating the attack, telling ABC News: “She probably sprayed herself, and she knew it.”

Minnesota court records show Kazmierczak was convicted of felony carjacking in 1989, was arrested several times for driving under the influence, and was given numerous traffic citations. There are also indications that he had major financial problems, including bankruptcy.

In social media posts, Kazmierczak criticized former President Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars.” “He wants the United States to be stronger and more prosperous,” Trump wrote. “Stop other countries from stealing from us.”

In another post, Kazmierczak asked: “When will descendants of slaves pay reparations to the families of Union soldiers for freeing/dying for them, and not sending them back to Africa?”

Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in 2021 after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters before declining slightly, then rising again, according to the latest figures from the US Capitol Police.

Officials said they investigated nearly 15,000 “related statements, conduct, and communications directed against members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol complex” in 2025.

Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporter RJ Rico in Atlanta contributed.