Wisconsin Man Charged With Arson for Targeting Congressman’s Office Over TikTok Ban

A Wisconsin man allegedly set fire to U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman’s office in protest against the federal TikTok ban. Prosecutors have charged 19-year-old Caiden Stachowicz with multiple felony counts, including arson, making terrorist threats, attempted burglary, and property damage.

If convicted on all charges, Stachowicz faces a potential prison sentence of over 50 years.

Incident Details: Fire Outside Grothman’s Office

The fire occurred early Sunday morning outside Grothman’s district office in Fond du Lac. Police responding to the scene found Stachowicz standing nearby. According to the complaint, he admitted to starting the fire because he was upset about Grothman’s support for the federal TikTok ban.

Stachowicz reportedly purchased gasoline and matches, attempting to break into the building to ignite the fire inside. When he was unable to break a window, he poured gasoline on an electrical box and around the building’s exterior before lighting it.

Firefighters and police quickly extinguished the flames, preventing significant damage.

Motivation Behind the Arson

Stachowicz told authorities he was frustrated by the federal government’s actions to restrict TikTok, which he felt violated his constitutional rights. He specifically targeted Grothman, who had voted in favor of legislation requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its U.S. operations.

“Caiden said he wanted to cause disruption and make a point by starting the building on fire,” the complaint states. He expressed a desire for the building to burn down but clarified that he did not want to harm anyone, including Grothman or his staff.

Legal Proceedings and Restrictions

During his initial court appearance on Wednesday, Stachowicz appeared via video conference from jail. Judge Tricia Walker set his cash bail at $500,000 and imposed strict conditions, including prohibiting contact with Grothman or his staff and barring the possession of weapons or fire-starting materials.

Court records do not indicate that Stachowicz has retained an attorney.

Congressman’s Response and TikTok Ban Context

Grothman’s office has not yet provided a detailed comment on the incident. TikTok briefly went offline Saturday following executive actions related to ByteDance, but the platform resumed operations after additional time was granted for the company to find a U.S. buyer.

Stachowicz’s charges highlight growing tensions around the TikTok debate, with critics arguing the platform poses national security risks and supporters claiming such bans infringe on free speech.