Man Sentenced to 14 Months for Spraying Apple Cider Vinegar on Rep. Ilhan Omar

A man who sprayed apple cider vinegar at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) during a town hall event in January has been sentenced to 14 months in prison. Anthony Kazmierczak, 56, accepted the sentence Friday as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in Minneapolis.

Kazmierczak will also serve three years of supervised release and is prohibited from having contact with Omar. He approached the congresswoman at the podium during the Minneapolis event and sprayed a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar from a syringe, stating that she was "splitting Minnesota apart."

Omar's security detail subdued Kazmierczak, who was subsequently arrested and charged with assaulting a US officer. No one was injured in the incident, though Minneapolis Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, who was present, reported vomiting after being sprayed with some of the liquid.

The attack occurred during a period of unrest in the Twin Cities related to federal immigration operations and civilian demonstrations. Kazmierczak's brother described him as a "right-wing extremist." He had also made online posts supporting former President Trump and opposing former President Joe Biden.

Omar later stated that the man was motivated by frustration over deportations of Somalis. "He wanted to come get the person he thought was protecting the Somalis," she told reporters.

According to the Associated Press, Kazmierczak told a federal judge that his memory of the event was "fuzzy." His neighbor indicated that Kazmierczak has been diagnosed with Parkinson's and was heavily medicated following a past car accident that affected his spine. His sentencing memo also cited struggles with alcohol abuse and a history of mental and emotional health concerns.