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.

  • MiddleAgesModem@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    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.

    • Madison420@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      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.