Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and anti-war protesters went at it during a town hall.
During the event on Thursday, one protester shouted, “You are supposed to be a progressive Democrat. Anti-war! Anti-war!”
The protester added, “$80 billion to the Ukraine is not anti-war!”
She replied, “We are helping Ukraine defend themselves.”
Omar claimed they are “helping people survive war.”
She went on to argue, “Unless you have not been paying attention to what is happening, there are millions of Ukrainians that have been displaced.”
Growing more frustrated, Omar declared, “There are thousands of bodies that are being found in mass graves and there are little children whose lives are lost!”
The protester fired back, “By Zelenskyy!”
Omar went on, “Unless you are someone like me that has been that child, you do not get to tell me what my votes mean and how I get to vote in supporting people.”
Some in the crowd applauded Omar.
Watch the video below:
https://twitter.com/SameeraKhan/status/1585846155111718912
After the event, Omar took to Twitter to address the protesters.
“I am sorry, you all aren’t ‘anti war protesters’, you are dangerous propagandists who are literally making a mockery of the anti war movement,” Omar tweeted.
According to her, she has “never had the pleasure of responding to ridiculous internet disinformation in person before. Thank you for the opportunity.”
In another tweet, Omar explained she is “amazed at the nerve that some people have to not be upset with the country literally waging war, but at the country defending itself and those helping them do that.”
The tweet continues, “I was even told by one of these people tonight, ‘it’s America that started the Russia war’, seriously wtf.”
I am amazed at the nerve that some people have to not be upset with the country literally waging war, but at the country defending itself and those helping them do that.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 28, 2022
I was even told by one of these people tonight, “it’s America that started the Russia war”, seriously wtf.
The congresswoman is not the only “squad member” to be confronted by protesters for her support on Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was confronted by protesters during a live town hall event on legislative victories and opportunities for constituents, as IJR reported.
Officials said Thursday the United States would be sending Ukraine a $275 million package of weapons and other aid, as The Associated Press reported.
With the $275 million, the U.S. has sent close to $18 billion in weapons and other equipment to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion, as the outlet noted.