Rep. Ilhan Omar on Security at the U.S. Capitol

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: But just give me an update, Congresswoman, on what you have been briefed about the security situation. Apparently, today was a target date that people, security were watching, but maybe also over the weekend. What’s going on?

REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): Yes, there seems to be a very credible, legitimate threat to overtake the Capitol and harm members of Congress, specifically Democratic members of Congress. And I think the defiant response from the speaker is warranted. But I would also urge for the seriousness of what has taken place and what continues to transpire not be diminished. I mean, we currently are unable to be at the Capitol. There are barricades. There is an intense level of security at our nation’s capital, at the seat of our democracy. This is all happening because of domestic terrorism. It’s happening because of the former president and what he has incited. It’s happening because members of Congress and the Republican Party have encouraged a rebellion against our government and political violence. This is not something that is going to go away by defiant speech. It is something that we have to figure out a legitimate way to deal with. There are people who continue to radicalize their base, to think about harming those who are governing our country.

AMANPOUR: I’m struck by the fact that you, yourself, as a young Somali, had to flee the war in your own country. And you said in an interview after the storming of the Capitol on the 6th of January that you didn’t know whether you would make it out of there. I mean, it was really something very, very scary for you. Do you feel safe? And was — yes, I mean, what sort of trauma did that trigger?

OMAR: It did. You know, I realized on the 6th, when I got there, just how dire the situation was and what was unfolding, having the experience of knowing just how quickly things can dissolve into chaos and how real political violence is and the effects of civil unrest. And I think, for a lot of people, to them, this is politics. To them, this is about a conversation speech and different things different people have said. But, to me, this is real. And if we do not address it, investigate it, and hold people accountable, we are at risk of seeing this become the new norm.