Conservative activist files $2M lawsuit over confrontation at event for Rep. Ilhan Omar

A confrontation at a Minneapolis campaign event for U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar in 2018 has prompted a federal lawsuit by conservative activist and Florida congressional candidate Laura Loomer against U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

The Michigan Democrat, like Omar, is a member of the Squad, a group of four Democrats and women of color who have formed a liberal alliance.

Loomer is a conservative media and online personality who this month filed to run as a Republican in Florida's 21st District against Democratic U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel.

Loomer is a supporter of President Donald Trump and is Jewish. After being kicked off Twitter in 2018, she handcuffed herself to a door at the company's New York offices.

She was banned by Uber and Lyft after she urged the creation of a ride-sharing service that doesn't hire Muslims.

Loomer was part of a group that disrupted an Aug. 11, 2018, campaign event at Holy Land deli in Minneapolis. Omar and Tlaib were then both candidates for Congress.

The Star Tribune reported at the time that Loomer's group shouted questions about the Palestinian group Hamas and genital mutilation.

The suit alleges that Tlaib "violently grabbed" Loomer's phone as she questioned her about foreign policy. Video of the incident includes audio of Loomer asking Tlaib if she was "willing to admit … that Hamas is a terrorist organization."

Loomer, who once worked for Project Veritas, a conservative activist group, describes herself as a journalist.

A news release from the conservative nonprofit Freedom Watch, which filed the $2 million suit Thursday, said the goal is to "hold Tlaib accountable for her unhinged hatred of Jews and Israel."

The group's counsel is Larry Klayman, whose Judicial Watch has filed numerous lawsuits against politicians and government agencies since the Clinton administration.

Judy Keen • 612-673-4234