A teenager from Wisconsin was arrested Sunday for allegedly setting a fire at a strip mall that houses the office of Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI). Police say the suspect admitted his actions were motivated by frustration over discussions to ban TikTok.
Emergency crews responded to reports of a fire early Sunday morning. Officers arriving on the scene found a 19-year-old suspect nearby, who reportedly confessed to setting the fire because of concerns over the potential ban on the social media platform.
The suspect was taken into custody and charged with arson. Authorities indicated that more information would be released pending formal charges from the district attorney’s office.
Rep. Grothman has been a vocal supporter of legislation requiring TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the platform. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the law, determining it was a necessary step for national security despite opposition from the app’s millions of American users.
Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein praised law enforcement and fire crews for their efforts in preventing further damage, stressing that violence will not be tolerated in the community.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, TikTok shut down access in the U.S. but later announced it was working to reinstate service. President Donald Trump has hinted at a potential plan to allow partial U.S. ownership of the app.
