Anthony Kazmierczak, a 56-year-old Trump-loving right-winger, unsuccessfully attacked Somali-American Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in January by using a syringe to shoot an unknown liquid at her during a public event. He was quickly tackled by security officers and arrested after his attempt.
Omar survived the attack unharmed, but Kazmierczak was recently sentenced to 14 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, during which he is to have no contact with Omar.
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“I’m not surprised this happened. Not at all,” Kazmierczak’s brother said after the attack, according to The Independent.
“Unfortunately, he and my mother are both right-wing extremists,” the brother continued. “He has had a hatred of the Somali community for probably 20 years…. He’s got a lot of anger, I have no idea where it comes from…. In my mind, he’s a piece of s**t.”
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Omar supports LGBTQ+ rights & endures racist GOP attacks
She was a cosponsor of the Global Respect Act, legislation to impose sanctions on foreign officials who violate human rights on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. She cosponsored the Equality Act, a comprehensive federal LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination bill; voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, a law requiring the federal and state governments to recognize legal same-sex marriages; and has made numerous statements opposing conversion therapy and voted against anti-trans Republican legislation.
Omar also cosponsored the Do No Harm Act and Safe Schools Improvement Act, two bills barring anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in schools and foster care and adoption agencies; a resolution affirming a Transgender Bill of Rights; a bill creating a special envoy for LGBTQ+ human rights; and legislation protecting access to gender-affirming care.
For years, President Donald Trump and now-former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have targeted Omar with violent and racist rhetoric that paints her as a traitorously un-American, antisemitic, and incestuous foreigner who should be deported and shot dead.
President Donald Trump and Rep. Randy Fine (R-AZ) both blamed Omar for Kazmierczak’s attack against her. Numerous web commenters called the attack on Omar a result of the GOP’s “stochastic terrorism,” which is defined as “the use of mass communications to stir up random lone wolves to carry out violent or terrorist acts that are statistically predictable but individually unpredictable” and plausibly deniable.
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