The Justice Department has charged a man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at an event in Minneapolis, according to court papers made public Thursday.
The man arrested for Tuesday’s attack, Anthony Kazmierczak, faces a charge of forcibly assaulting, opposing, impeding 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’s not resigning. You’re splitting Minnesotans apart,” the affidavit says. Authorities also say that Kazmierczak told a close associate several years ago that “somebody should kill” Omar, court documents say.
Kazmierczak has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of Donald Trump, a Republican.
When the articles said it was a syringe that smelled like vinegar I assumed he sprayed her with a douche
He should be charged with terrorism, because that’s literally what it was.
The right-wing political violence in this country is out of control…
Always has been
You’re not going to get a terrorism charge based on apple cider vinegar.
Squirting an unidentifiable liquid in someone’s face is terrorism.
Until it’s tested in a lab, no one knows what it is. It could be a strong acid, it could be a nerve agent. Neither of those things are unheard of, and either one can maim or kill in a matter of minutes.
Using fear or violence to achieve a political purpose is the definition of terrorism. The attacker was attempting to disrupt the town hall and intimidate politicians in order to suppress political speech.
It’s literal terrorism.
For real, I cannot imagine the insanely long list of charges if that had been a GOP member, every charge you could possibly pull out of your ass, multiplied by the number of people in the room/close proximity.
You’re not going to get a terrorism charge based on apple cider vinegar.
Too young to remember a post 9/11 America? People were getting hit with a terrorism/terroristic threat charge for way less than what this guy did.
Squirting an unidentifiable liquid in someone’s face is terrorism.
It was identified as something harmless. Terrorism is the use of deadly violence on soft, civilian targets. Generally, assaults on political leaders are considered something else. Terrorism is the continued threat of future deadly violence, not of squirting vinegar on people.
Until it’s tested in a lab, no one knows what it is.
I don’t think a lab test was required to figure out it was harmless. It was vinegar.
It could be a strong acid, it could be a nerve agent. Neither of those things are unheard of, and either one can maim or kill in a matter of minutes.
Yeah, but it wasn’t. If someone hit one of those ICE thugs with a black water balloon that was indeed filled with harmless water, would you support charging the thrower with terrorism?
Using fear or violence
No, it’s using violence to create fear of future violence. That’s the literal definition. Your personal definition waters down “terrorism” to a ludicrous extent.
It was unidentified when he did it you pedantic dipshit
Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature
As per the FBI definition of domestic terrorism.
It’s domestic terrorism, stop being obtuse.
Yeah this clown would come in public to attack with apple cider vinegar???
I think it was acid and they’re trying to play it off like a prank so they can let him go.
He probably tried to buy sulfuric acid off Facebook marketplace and got scammed, considering what we know about the average trump supporter
Probably original plan was to get it in her eyes. My guess is it is some type of horticultural vinegar, probably like 10-20% Acetic Acid. I guess you technically can get Apple cider vinegar naturally up to 12% acid if you ferment it right, which is over the threshold to cause permanent eye damage.
But he would have cured her of at least 18 diseases according to moms on Facebook.
Thank God it wasn’t acid or some even worse shit
I mean, it was acid. Just not a particularly strong concentration of it.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a chatgpt history asking about acid to throw on somebody, but he was too stupid to know that this wouldn’t actually do anything but smell.
Yeah I was meaning something like sulfuric
Food-grade is thankfully not that harmful
Where are you getting food grade sulferic acid? Asking for a friend.
Sysco
The thong song guy?
No, that’s Sisqo. You’re thinking about the tech company known for their network products.
No that’s Cysco. You’re thinking of the captain from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
You jest, but you can absolutely get food-grade sulfuric acid
Mmmm nothing like a slightly salted romaine salad topped with sliced onion, olives, tomato, olive oil and sulfuric acid. Just like Grandma used to make.
That’s disgusting, why the hell would you put sliced onion on a salad?
Because it’s delicious! I love vidalia onions!
may this man may forever be known with the title of “The Squirter”
I’m very relieved to hear it was only water and apple cider vinegar. “Unknown liquid sprayed by an attacker” is just short of actually wounding someone when it comes to anxiety induced.
MN should throw the book at him. And at anyone who helped him do it.
States need to stop people from collecting donations after this kind of thing. Crowdfunding assaults on politicians is not a road we want to go down.
See, I’d normally agree- but that law will only ever be selectively enforced against people like Luigi.
