A 19-year-old man in Wisconsin was arrested after allegedly setting fire to the office of Congressman Glenn Grothman in Fond du Lac. According to police, the man was furious over talks of a potential TikTok ban and decided to take matters into his own hands.
The incident happened early Sunday morning at Grothman’s office, located in a strip mall on North Peters Avenue. The Fond du Lac Police Department said they received a call about a possible fire around 1:02 a.m. Officers and firefighters quickly responded, using fire extinguishers to control the flames until fire crews arrived to put it out completely. Thankfully, the office was empty at the time, and no one was hurt.
Police found the suspect, a 19-year-old from Menasha, near the scene of the fire. He admitted to starting it, saying he was upset about the ongoing discussions around banning TikTok. Congressman Grothman, a Republican, had voted in April 2024 for a bill that required TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to stop operating in the U.S. The Supreme Court upheld the decision, and the ban briefly went into effect Saturday night before being lifted the next day.
Users trying to access TikTok during the ban saw a message saying the app wasn’t available due to the law. However, just 14 hours later, the ban was reversed, and a new message appeared, suggesting that President Donald Trump was working on a solution to bring TikTok back.
Grothman, speaking to the media on Sunday, expressed his concern over the incident. He emphasized that while disagreements are part of democracy, resorting to violence is never the answer. “The TikTok issue is really secondary,” he said. “I deal with dozens of issues, and if people disagree with me, trying to burn down my office isn’t the way to handle it.”
Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein also weighed in, calling the attack a serious offense. He praised the quick action of officers and firefighters, saying their response ensured the situation didn’t get worse. “Acts of violence in any form are not tolerated,” Goldstein stated. “We are committed to keeping our community safe.”
The suspect is currently in the Fond du Lac County Jail on arson charges. Police say his case has been referred to the District Attorney’s Office, and more details will be shared once charges are officially filed.
