Teen, 19, ‘sets fire to congressman’s office’ after being outraged by TikTok ban – only for app to return hours later
A TEENAGER has been accused of setting fire to a Republican congressman’s office after being infuriated by TikTok going down, police say.
The 19-year-old, who has not been named, was arrested in Wisconsin - only hours before the platform’s service was restored.
TikTok went dark for around 170 million users in the US on January 19 following Friday’s Supreme Court ruling.
The nation’s top court upheld a law passed by Congress that banned the platform over national security fears.
Cops revealed the fire broke out at a strip mall in Fond du Lac, home to congressman Glenn Grothman’s office, at around 1am local time on Sunday.
Police quizzed the man who admitted the fire was started over the social media network ban.
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He faces a charge of arson.
Grothman was one of the lawmakers who backed the TikTok ban.
But, he slammed the suspected arson attack.
He claimed the TikTok issue was secondary and warned there can’t be a situation where a lawmaker’s office is burned down because someone disagrees with their view, as reported by the ABC affiliate
Grothman, who represents Wisconsin’s 6th congressional district, was first elected in 2014 and revealed no staffers had been injured.
TikTok went down on Sunday morning following the Supreme Court’s verdict.
A note popped up on phone screens that said: “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.
“Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok right now.
“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Outgoing president Joe Biden confirmed he would leave the future of TikTok in the hands of his successor Donald Trump.
Trump will be sworn into office at noon today, January 20.
The TikTok ban left diehard fans in mourning.
“We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” he told the journalist Kristen Welker.
A TikTok extension is just one executive order Trump could sign when he is sworn in.
Trump has vowed to push through hundreds of executive actions.
He has promised to launch a sweeping deportation program and could even declare a national emergency at the southern border.
Trump has also promised to uncover a raft of documents relating to the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr and John F. Kennedy.
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In his inaugural address, the tycoon will call for a "revolution of common sense," per .
"My message to Americans today is that it is time for us to once again act with courage, vigor and the vitality of history’s greatest civilization," Trump will tell the nation according to the Journal.