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Fact-Checks Debunk 'Staged' Ilhan Omar Attack Image, Trace It to Parody Account

Fact-checkers tie the viral photo to a parody X account using Google AI tools.

Overview

  • Snopes and AFP report the image claiming to show Rep. Ilhan Omar with her attacker is fabricated, with Google’s SynthID indicating AI generation or editing.
  • The earliest versions were posted by the parody X account @DumbFckFinder, and many copies carried a visible “DFF” watermark.
  • The doctored image drew on a March 2022 Facebook photo of suspect Anthony J. Kazmierczak that originally showed him with a different person.
  • Court records identify the liquid sprayed on Omar at the Jan. 27 Minneapolis town hall as apple cider vinegar, and officials say she was not injured.
  • Kazmierczak is in custody on state assault charges and a federal count, as false claims promoted by President Donald Trump and others continue to circulate online.