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| - On Jan. 27, 2026, a man attacked Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at a Minneapolis town hall, spraying her with liquid before being tackled and arrested. Soon after news of the assault spread online, an image circulated claiming to show Omar posing next to the suspect while he held cash and a bottle of Fiji water.
Many users shared the image on X and Facebook, claiming it was evidence that Omar staged the attack to supposedly gain sympathy. One post said: "Leaked Ilhan Omar image with alleged man who sprayed water on her is going viral."
(Facebook user "Likeformore")
The above image is not authentic and was created or altered using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The man's jacket features gibberish lettering, a common sign of AI-generated images.
A reverse image search found no credible sources sharing the image. Instead, the earliest version appeared on an X account labeled as parody with the username @DumbFckFinder. That account says in its bio that it shares "high-quality AI videos and memes." As such, the claim originated as satire.
(We fact-checked a similar image supposedly showing Omar and Kazmierczak that stemmed from the account, as well.)
Many copies of the image shared online included "DFF" logos in the bottom-right corner, linking them to the account, which posted other versions of the same image with different backgrounds. While some versions of the fake image circulated without the "DFF" logo, the earliest version we identified came from that account. We contacted the account to confirm that it created the image and will update this report if we receive a response
We also analyzed the image using AI-detection tools. Hive Moderation determined it was likely AI-generated. (Research shows AI-detection software is imperfect and readers should consider the tools' results with skepticism.)
Google Gemini's SynthID check, a tool that scans for embedded watermarks by AI software, also detected a Synth ID watermark and concluded "most or all of [the image] was generated or edited using Google's AI tools."
(Google Gemini)
Police identified Omar's suspected attacker as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, who faces a federal assault charge. Kazmierczak reportedly sprayed Omar with apple cider vinegar and water, though more tests are being conducted on the liquid. Omar was not injured.
At the time of the attack, Omar was speaking at a town hall in Minneapolis, where she had called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. Since the start of 2026, President Donald Trump's administration has launched a massive DHS enforcement operation in Minneapolis.
Trump has targeted Omar, who is Muslim and Somali, for years, referring to her as "garbage" and calling her hijab a "little turban." The Jan. 27, 2026, attack occurred on the same day he mentioned Omar in a speech at a rally. After the attack, Trump also promoted the unsubstantiated claim that Omar staged it.
During an appearance on CNN, Omar responded to Trump's remarks about the attack, saying, "The difference between the president and I is that I was raised to be a decent human being, and my faith teaches me to have compassion. He lacks both of those things."
We have covered numerous other rumors about Omar.
For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources calling their output humorous or satirical.
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