FOND DU LAC, Wis. – A 19-year-old man is in custody after allegedly setting fire to a strip mall housing the office of U.S. Congressman Glenn Grothman, citing the recent ban on TikTok as his motivation. The incident occurred early Sunday morning, around 1 a.m., with the building unoccupied at the time, and fortunately, no injuries were reported.

According to authorities, the suspect, a resident of Menasha, was seen watching the fire and subsequently arrested. The Fond du Lac Police responded swiftly, using fire extinguishers to control the blaze until fire rescue personnel arrived to extinguish it completely. The fire reportedly began outside the building, causing only minor damage before it was mitigated.

Grothman had previously voted in favor of legislation mandating TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations or face a federal ban. Following a recent Supreme Court ruling related to this issue, TikTok was temporarily non-operational in the U.S. before service was restored amidst ongoing discussions with government officials, including President-elect Donald Trump.

In a statement, Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein expressed relief that no one was harmed, underscoring the community’s commitment to safety. He stated, “Acts of violence, in any form, are not tolerated.” As the investigation progresses, the suspect will face charges of arson, pending further legal action as referred to the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the tensions surrounding social media bans and their implications on youth and civic expression. The investigation is ongoing; authorities encourage anyone with information about the incident to contact local police.