Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) got something of a hero’s welcome the moment she arrived back to her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota on Thursday evening.
When Omar stepped out of the airport doors, she was greeted with signs and a cheering crowd welcoming her return.
“Welcome home, Ilhan! Welcome home, Ilhan!” the crowd chanted.
A smiling Omar can be seen making her way through the crowd throughout the chants.
Rep. Ilhan Omar greeted with cheering crowd chanting "Welcome home, Ilhan" upon arriving in her hometown of Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/th9pcz00sN
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) July 18, 2019
KSTP-TV reporter Tom Hauser also posted a video of the congresswoman’s arrival:
Congresswoman Omar just arrived back in the Twin Cities. pic.twitter.com/ZiFqWnDJgQ
— Tom Hauser (@thauserkstp) July 18, 2019
The chants seemed to be a show of support in response to President Donald Trump’s rally, during which not only did Trump repeatedly attacked Omar but also his supporters chanted “send her home.” Trump did nothing to quell the racist chanting, only speaking after the chants had died down a full ten seconds later (Trump later claimed he “was not happy” with the chanting).
The day after the rally, Omar told reporters, “I believe he is fascist.”
“I want to remind people that this is what this President and his supporters have done to our country that is supposed to be a country where we allow democratic debate and dissent to take place,” she said.
Democratic leaders have expressed concern about Omar’s safety in wake of Trump’s escalating attacks against one of the first Muslim women to be elected in Congress (and the first woman to wear a hijab).
