Police in east-central Wisconsin arrested a teenage boy Sunday. He allegedly set fire to a strip mall housing a congressman’s district office. The fire was reportedly over the lawmaker’s stance on banning TikTok.
The 19-year-old suspect from Menasha targeted the building early Sunday morning. Republican Wisconsin Rep. Glenn Grothman’s office was among the businesses in the strip mall. Grothman had supported banning TikTok if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, refused to sell it.
Fond du Lac Police and the City of Fond du Lac Fire Rescue responded to the fire at 1:02 a.m. Officers contained the flames until firefighters arrived. The fire was extinguished before it caused extensive damage.
Police found the suspect near the strip mall shortly after the fire. The teenager admitted he started the blaze, saying it was in response to talks of a TikTok ban. Officers arrested him on the spot.
The suspect was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail. He faces charges of arson. Police stated more details would be released once a criminal complaint is filed by the District Attorney’s Office.
“We are relieved no one was injured and the office was empty at the time,” said FDLPD Chief Aaron Goldstein. “Acts of violence, in any form, are not tolerated. Our officers acted swiftly to contain the fire and locate the suspect.”
Rep. Grothman also confirmed no injuries occurred. He thanked officers and firefighters for their quick actions, which minimized the damage.
Some online commenters reacted with surprise and disapproval. They called the alleged arson unjustifiable and mocked the suspect’s motives. Many noted the irony—if convicted, he’d likely be unable to use TikTok in jail.
The Supreme Court upheld a law banning TikTok, effective Sunday. Signed by President Biden in April 2024, the law cited national security concerns. ByteDance had refused to divest itself of the app, which faced allegations of illegal data harvesting and ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Teenagers had lobbied lawmakers to oppose the ban. One reportedly threatened suicide over the decision. Despite the backlash, the ban stood as necessary for protecting Americans, the court ruled.
President-elect Donald Trump called for unity in respecting the Supreme Court’s decision. He spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about TikTok and other issues. Trump suggested a potential “deal” to save TikTok, including 50% American ownership.
On Sunday, TikTok restored its service following Trump’s intervention. The company thanked him and pledged to comply with future agreements.
@tiktok Our response to the Supreme Court decision.
♬ original sound – TikTok