US representative's office hit by backlash over TikTok prohibition – reports
A teenager in Wisconsin was arrested for suspected arson at a congressman's office, with authorities believing the act was a protest against the TikTok ban in the United States. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A 19-year-old in Wisconsin was arrested early Monday morning for allegedly setting fire to a strip mall that houses the office of Republican congressman Glenn Grothman, as reported by media outlets. The suspect purportedly told authorities that the act was “in response to recent talks of a TikTok ban.”
The temporary ban was linked to a law mandating that TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, divest its US operations by the previous Sunday, a measure that Congress had enacted last April. The US government has been urging ByteDance to relinquish its ownership due to concerns regarding national security and the potential misuse of US user data. Grothman, who backed the legislation, expressed his frustration regarding the incident.
“The TikTok issue is really secondary. I mean, I deal with, obviously, dozens of issues up here, and we cannot have people – if they disagree with me – say the way to settle that disagreement is let’s try to burn down the congressman’s office,” he told WISN 12 News.
The fire at the strip mall in Fond du Lac was reported around 1 a.m. Firefighters and police responded swiftly, managing to limit the damage. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, and the office was unoccupied at the time.
The unidentified suspect was apprehended after being spotted in the vicinity of the fire. Authorities indicated that the blaze originated outside the building and was quickly contained. The 19-year-old is currently being held at the Fond du Lac County Jail, where officials are preparing to file arson charges with the District Attorney’s Office.
Hours after the brief ban went into effect, President Donald Trump announced that he would issue an executive order delaying its enforcement by 75 days. Following the signing of this order, TikTok resumed operations after a 12-hour interruption.
At a victory rally in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Trump confirmed TikTok's restoration, stating, “As of today, TikTok is back.” He added, “Frankly, we have no choice; we have to save it.”
In a CBS 58 interview on Monday, Grothman opted not to discuss the app's future. “I wasn’t going to go into it, because to me, that’s what this guy wants,” he remarked. “I think for me, specifically, to comment on TikTok after he tried to light the office on fire, would be what he wants.”
Trump also revealed plans to grant TikTok a 90-day extension, providing the platform with additional time to secure a buyer outside of China. “I’ll approve, but let the United States of America own 50% of TikTok,” Trump said during his address. “And the United States will do what we call a ‘joint venture.’”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
The temporary ban was linked to a law mandating that TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, divest its US operations by the previous Sunday, a measure that Congress had enacted last April. The US government has been urging ByteDance to relinquish its ownership due to concerns regarding national security and the potential misuse of US user data. Grothman, who backed the legislation, expressed his frustration regarding the incident.
“The TikTok issue is really secondary. I mean, I deal with, obviously, dozens of issues up here, and we cannot have people – if they disagree with me – say the way to settle that disagreement is let’s try to burn down the congressman’s office,” he told WISN 12 News.
The fire at the strip mall in Fond du Lac was reported around 1 a.m. Firefighters and police responded swiftly, managing to limit the damage. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, and the office was unoccupied at the time.
The unidentified suspect was apprehended after being spotted in the vicinity of the fire. Authorities indicated that the blaze originated outside the building and was quickly contained. The 19-year-old is currently being held at the Fond du Lac County Jail, where officials are preparing to file arson charges with the District Attorney’s Office.
Hours after the brief ban went into effect, President Donald Trump announced that he would issue an executive order delaying its enforcement by 75 days. Following the signing of this order, TikTok resumed operations after a 12-hour interruption.
At a victory rally in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Trump confirmed TikTok's restoration, stating, “As of today, TikTok is back.” He added, “Frankly, we have no choice; we have to save it.”
In a CBS 58 interview on Monday, Grothman opted not to discuss the app's future. “I wasn’t going to go into it, because to me, that’s what this guy wants,” he remarked. “I think for me, specifically, to comment on TikTok after he tried to light the office on fire, would be what he wants.”
Trump also revealed plans to grant TikTok a 90-day extension, providing the platform with additional time to secure a buyer outside of China. “I’ll approve, but let the United States of America own 50% of TikTok,” Trump said during his address. “And the United States will do what we call a ‘joint venture.’”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
