Staff Reports
In yet another bizarre twist in the saga of TikTok, a teenager in east-central Wisconsin decided to take matters into his own hands—not by lobbying or writing letters to his Congressman, but by burning down the very office of Rep. Glenn Grothman. This act of arson, carried out by a 19-year-old from Menasha, highlights just how far some will go to protect their beloved app from being banned. Apparently, vandalism is the new grassroots activism for the TikTok generation.
The inferno was sparked early Sunday morning and, according to the Fond du Lac Police Department, the fire was started in retaliation for Grothman’s support of a TikTok ban if its parent company, ByteDance, didn’t sell it off. How’s that for a reaction to democracy? It’s hard to believe that the arsonist thought this was an effective way to advocate against a lawmaker’s stance—perhaps he missed the civics lessons in school that explain how government works. Instead, he ended up in jail, facing charges for his misguided choice to play with fire.
HOLY SH!T
A 19-year-old man has been arrested for setting fire to WI Congressman Glenn Grothman’s office over the TikTok ban
People all across the country have been calling 911 over the ban 🤣
I hate that a young person has potentially ruined their life over this. pic.twitter.com/iv8D2nUaOs
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) January 19, 2025
Thankfully, first responders were quick to extinguish the flames, which caused no injuries and minimal damage, largely thanks to the swift action from the Fond du Lac Fire Rescue and police. As they managed to subdue the flames, a special mention was made of the importance of protecting the community from violence, a sentiment that seems to be lost on those who think torching an office is a valid way to express disagreement. No one was hurt, and Grothman himself was grateful for the rapid response from local heroes during a moment that could have been disastrous.
Onlookers and social media participants expressed their astonishment—not only was the teenager’s response over the top, but his thought process was downright laughable. The irony is thick; here’s a guy who could potentially be charged with federal crimes merely because he thought setting fire to a building was a good way to keep using TikTok. Perhaps someone needs to remind him that while he’s behind bars, he won’t be using any apps, let alone TikTok.
Meanwhile, the legal battle over TikTok rages on. The Supreme Court recently upheld a law initiated by President Biden to ban the app due to its Chinese ownership and concerns over user data privacy. The ruling was framed as being necessary for national security, and while Biden’s team continues to navigate this complicated issue, it’s clear that TikTok won’t easily slip through the fingers of lawmakers. Amid all the chaos, one can only wonder how many more instances of misconduct will arise as those addicted to the app attempt to fight for its existence. Maybe next time, they’ll just stick to signing petitions.
