A 19-year-old from Menasha, Wisconsin, has been charged with arson after authorities say he set fire to a local congressman’s office, reportedly citing frustration over the TikTok ban as his motive.
The incident happened early Sunday morning, January 19, when the Fond du Lac Police Department received reports of a fire at a strip mall on North Peters Avenue. One of the affected offices belonged to Republican U.S. Representative Glenn Grothman.
When officers arrived, they used fire extinguishers to keep the flames from spreading until firefighters could take over. Luckily, the building was empty at the time, and no injuries were reported. Shortly after, officers found the 19-year-old suspect nearby. According to police, he admitted to starting the fire, saying it was a response to recent moves to ban TikTok in the U.S.
The teen was arrested on the spot and charged with arson. He’s now being held at the Fond du Lac County Jail, and the case is being referred to the District Attorney’s Office. Authorities are still in the early stages of their investigation, with both police and the fire department looking into the incident.
Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein expressed relief that no one was hurt, thanking first responders for their quick action. “Acts of violence, in any form, are not tolerated,” Goldstein said, emphasizing the department’s commitment to keeping the community safe.
Rep. Grothman also addressed the incident on social media, noting that the fire caused limited damage and praising firefighters and officers for their swift response.
The arson comes amid escalating tensions surrounding TikTok’s status in the U.S. Just days before the fire, the Supreme Court upheld a law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to either sell the platform or cease U.S. operations entirely. TikTok briefly went offline for American users on January 18 but later resumed operations, stating it was “restoring service” to its U.S. audience.
Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, vowing to take steps to delay TikTok’s ban through an executive order. While the app’s future remains uncertain, one thing is clear: the debate over TikTok has sparked strong emotions—and, in this case, dangerous actions.
