A mugshot of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from a 2013 arrest has recently resurfaced online, drawing renewed attention to an incident that occurred several years before her election to Congress. The image, depicting Omar in an orange jail uniform, relates to an arrest on suspicion of misdemeanor trespassing at the Hotel Ivy in downtown Minneapolis on January 18, 2013.
"Omar was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor trespassing at the Hotel Ivy in downtown Minneapolis on Jan. 18, 2013, according to a police report previously obtained by Alpha News." Alpha News
According to a police report previously obtained by Alpha News, the incident unfolded following an event at the Minneapolis Convention Center featuring Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was then serving as Somalia’s president. President Mohamud was expected to stay at the Hotel Ivy after the event. A crowd, including Omar, reportedly followed the Somali president’s motorcade to the hotel and gathered inside the building.
Hotel employees subsequently requested Minneapolis police officers to clear the lobby. Officers informed individuals who did not possess a hotel room key that they needed to leave the property. Most members of the group complied with the officers' instructions, as stated in the police report. However, Omar allegedly became argumentative and initially refused to leave. An officer wrote in the report that Omar "pulled away" when he attempted to take hold of her elbow to escort her from the lobby. She allegedly told the officer "not to touch her" before eventually departing with other members of the group.
Approximately 10 minutes later, police encountered Omar inside the hotel again, according to the officer’s account. She was reportedly seated in another area of the lobby. The officer stated that Omar remained defiant after being warned that she would be arrested for trespassing if she continued to refuse to leave. Police then placed her in handcuffs while she remained seated. Omar was subsequently transported to the Hennepin County Jail, where she was photographed during the booking process. The resurfaced image shows front and side views of Omar in the orange jail uniform. The officer noted in his report that Omar was booked because he believed she might fail to respond to a citation and could continue the conduct that led to her arrest.
It is important to note that the case did not lead to a conviction. The allegation was subsequently dropped, according to reports from the Star Tribune and a later review by Snopes. This distinction clarifies that while Omar was arrested and booked on suspicion of trespassing, she was not found guilty of the offense. Therefore, any reports describing her as having been convicted over this episode would be inaccurate.
The 2013 incident first garnered broad political attention during Omar’s 2018 congressional campaign, when the police report and booking photograph were publicly circulated. Omar won election to Congress that year, beginning her representation of Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in January 2019. She became one of the first two Muslim women elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Separately, Omar was arrested again in July 2022 during a civil-disobedience demonstration outside the Supreme Court. Her office confirmed that she participated in that protest following the court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. That episode was distinct from the Hotel Ivy arrest and involved Omar serving as a sitting member of Congress. Several other Democratic lawmakers were also detained during the 2022 demonstration.
The renewed circulation of the 2013 mugshot occurs as Representative Omar continues to be a prominent and often polarizing figure in national politics. Neither the recently resurfaced photograph nor the police report represents a new criminal case against her. They document an arrest that took place more than 13 years ago, which ultimately resulted in the allegation being dismissed without conviction.
