Black Members of Congress Face Rising Political Violence
By Lauren Victoria Burke
A man attacked Congresswoman Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis on the evening of January 27. The attack on Rep. Omar was the second attack on a member of the Congressional Black Caucus in five days. Rep. Maxwell Frost was assaulted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23 in what Rep. Frost said was a racist attack.
The man who attacked Rep. Omar sat in the first row of the town hall event and sprayed her with an unknown substance from a syringe. The man was quickly tackled by nearby security personnel. The unidentified man was then arrested for assault.
“We are outraged by this brazen attack on our colleague and relieved that Congresswoman Omar is safe. We thank the Minneapolis Police Department for their swift response and the apprehension of the individual responsible,” stated the Congressional Black Caucus in an evening statement on January 27.
President Donald Trump has often verbally attacked Rep. Omar and the Somali community. The constant verbal attacks by Trump have prompted a situation where she requires extra security by the US Capitol Police. Threats on members of Congress have doubled in the last year, according to the New York Times. Political rhetoric from Trump and his Senior Advisor Stephen Miller has featured vitriol, unsubstantiated claims, and over-the-top rhetoric.
Trump has repeatedly stated that Rep. Omar should be “sent back to Somalia” or “thrown the hell out” of the country.
On January 24, masked individuals sent to Minneapolis by the Trump Administration and wearing no badges or identifying nameplates while patrolling the city of Minneapolis shot and killed a second American citizen, Alex Pretti. On January 7, masked individuals shot and killed Renee Good as she navigated her car around an individual who shot her three times. The federal government claims that the masked individuals without badges are “agents” of the federal government, affiliated with immigration and customs.
In an incident outside Minneapolis, Rep. Frost was assaulted over the weekend in Park City, Utah.
“Last night, I was assaulted by a man at the Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested, and I am okay. Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident,” wrote Congressman Maxwell Frost of Florida.
A white male was arrested at Park City’s High West Saloon on Jan. 23, during CAA‘s Sundance Film Festival celebration, after allegedly assaulting Rep. Frost.
The man allegedly punched Rep. Frost after initiating a verbal confrontation with him in a restroom.
“Security detained the man, and police later took him into custody,” according to a report in Variety.
“A spokesperson for the Park City Police Department identified the man as Christian Young. The department spokesperson said an officer arrived at High West Saloon after midnight on Friday and conducted an investigation, which determined that Young “unlawfully entered a private party” after being turned away for not having an invitation, Variety also reported.
Once inside, Young assaulted Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost and a female who was attending the private event,” the police statement reads. Young was booked into the Summit County Jail on charges of aggravated burglary and two counts of simple assault, a police spokesperson said.
“I am horrified by the attack on Congressman Maxwell Frost. Grateful that he is okay but appalled that this terrifying assault took place. The perpetrator must be aggressively prosecuted. Hate and political violence have no place in our country, and the entire House Democratic Caucus family stands with Maxwell,” wrote US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries about the attack on Rep. Frost.
Political violence has increased in recent years.
On June 14, 2025, Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman was assassinated in a shooting at her home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Hortman, the leader of the state’s House Democratic caucus, was shot and killed alongside her husband, Mark. State senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, suffered serious injuries from gunshots in their nearby home earlier that morning.
President Trump did not honor their deaths.
Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke.
She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on X @LVBurke