Law enforcement officials in Wisconsin are probing an arson incident involving a district office of Congressman Glenn Grothman. The Fond du Lac Police Department reported that a 19-year-old from Menasha confessed to igniting a fire at the office after the popular social media platform TikTok briefly became unavailable in the United States.
The fire was reported just after 1 a.m. on Sunday, January 19, prompting a rapid response from police and fire rescue teams. Officers discovered the alleged perpetrator near the location shortly after extinguishing the flames. According to police, the young man admitted to starting the fire as a reaction to the ongoing conversations about a possible TikTok ban, a topic that Grothman had previously voted on during legislative discussions.
In a statement on social media, Grothman addressed the incident, emphasizing the absence of injuries and the swift containment of the fire. Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein expressed relief that the office was vacant at the time and reiterated the department's commitment to community safety, highlighting that acts of violence would not be tolerated.
The suspect is currently being held at Fond du Lac County Jail, with arson charges being forwarded to the local District Attorney's Office. Meanwhile, TikTok was reportedly working to restore its services in the U.S. after a momentary shutdown following a Supreme Court ruling endorsing a law that could ban the app unless it is sold domestically.
U.S. users began regaining access to TikTok after a brief outage, which also coincided with statements from President-elect Trump pledging to intervene to keep the app operational, implying that an executive order would be enacted to delay any impending prohibitions.
13 Comments
Leonardo
Who wouldn't be upset about losing access to a platform they’ve come to rely on?
Raphael
While arson isn't a solution, it shows just how passionate people are about their rights to social media.
Donatello
I hope he gets the full consequences for this act. There are better ways to express dissatisfaction.
Michelangelo
It’s symbolic of a larger fight for digital rights and freedoms in our society.
Raphael
We need to better understand what drives people to such extremes.
Coccinella
It's alarming how much these platforms mean to young people. We should be discussing those underlying issues!
Muchacho
I can understand the anger here. TikTok is a lifeline for many, especially during tough times.
Coccinella
It’s a noteworthy event that may catalyze change in how we discuss social media governance.
Africa
This incident might open up conversations about the importance of social media in modern life.
Raphael
This incident highlights the frustration many feel towards the government’s interference in online platforms.
Habibi
This is absolutely ridiculous! Burning down an office because of a social media app? That’s just insane.
ZmeeLove
How immature can you be? This is more than just vandalism; it's a serious crime.
Mariposa
This just shows how divided we are on issues concerning digital platforms.