A Wisconsin teenager set fire to his local congressman’s office on Sunday in a fit of rage over the TikTok ban, which was lifted hours later. He was arrested and charged in relation to the crime
A Wisconsin teen set fire to his local congressman’s office on Sunday in a fit of rage over the TikTok ban, which was lifted mere hours later, according to the authorities.
The office used by Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.) in Fond du Lac was set on fire at approximately 1 a.m. Shortly thereafter, the authorities found a 19-year-old man nearby, who allegedly admitted to setting the blaze.
The man, who has not been identified, was from nearby Menasha, it was reported. The blaze was set at 525 N. Peters Ave. in Fond du Lac. Police Chief Aaron Goldstein said in a statement on Facebook, “We are relieved that no one was injured and the office was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Acts of violence, in any form are not tolerated, and we remain committed to protecting the safety and well-being of our community.”
The fire was started just after 1 a.m. the day the ban went into effect (
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Glenn Grothman Office)
He continued, “I am thankful for the swift response of our Officers in helping knock down the fire and also locating the suspect of this arson.” The cops and firefighters were able to use fire extinguishers to “hold the fire in check,” Goldstein said.
The 19-year-old suspect, who was found nearby, allegedly “admitted to starting the fire in response to recent talks of a TikTok ban.” He’s being held at the Fond du Lac Jail and was charged with arson. The Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office is handling the case.
Nobody had been inside the building at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries reported. An investigation into the incident is underway, and the Fond du Lac police have asked anyone with additional information to come forward with it.
The TikTok ban riled up the app’s 170 million American users, but it went live again after President-elect, who was inaugurated at noon on Monday, promised to sign an executive order keeping it available for Americans.
TikTok’s developers gave him a shoutout on X and on the platform itself, writing, “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States,” it continues.
