Gaza protester, 28, says she wants to assassinate lawmakers at public rally – then sobs like a baby after being arrested and jailed over vile threats
A pro-Palestinian protester told California lawmakers she wanted to kill them at a council meeting — then sobbed like a baby after being arrested and hauled off to court.
Riddhi Patel, 28, was all tough talk at the Bakersfield meeting Wednesday as Mayor Karen Goh, including Mayor Karen Goh, discussed withdrawals of a motion calling on Israel to declare a ceasefire. They later rejected the proposal.
Standing at a microphone during public comments, Patel said: ‘I hope one day someone comes with the guillotine and kills all of you mother******.
‘You want to criminalize us with metal detectors, we’ll see you at your house, we’ll murder you.’
But the bloodthirsty activist’s snarling bravado evaporated in court two days later when she was seen sobbing uncontrollably after being accused of her threats.
Riddhi Patel, 28, wept in court after she was charged with 18 felonies for threatening councilors, including Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh, unless they voted to support a Gaza ceasefire
After spending two days in the slammer, a distraught-looking Patel sobbed as she appeared before a judge in a brown prison jumpsuit.
She faces 18 felony charges, including terrorism charges — and now likely has even more to cry about as she was ordered back to jail after her hearing in lieu of $2 million bail.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Patel raged before the vote: ‘I have no faith that you will do this. You are all horrible people and Jesus would probably have killed you himself.’
‘And none of you care because you don’t care that anything happens in Palestine or any other country where oppression occurs.’
Patel, who is Indian-American, then mentioned Mahatma Gandhi and claimed that the Hindu festival called Chaitra Navaratri calls for ‘violent revolution against their oppressors’.
“You guys, the ones who vote to win in Bakersfield, Gandhi parading around and a Hindu holiday called Chaitra Navaratri starting this week,” she said.
‘I remind you that these holidays that we practice, that other people in the Global South practice, believe in a violent revolution against their oppressors.’
Patel faces 18 felony charges following her arrest — with 10 counts of making threats with intent to terrorize and eight counts of making threats against certain state officials, including the city council members and the mayor, according to the criminal report
Patel criticized the city council for implementing heightened security measures such as metal detectors in the building, which she saw as an attempt to ‘criminalise’ protesters.
“In the last five years I’ve been attending city council meetings, there’s never been metal detectors, there’s never been more officers,” she said.
‘The only reason you’re doing it is because people actually don’t care if you don’t like them and they’re actually resisting so you’re trying to criminalize them.’
Patel ended his speech with a violent threat to the city council, saying they should be guillotined, adding: ‘You want to criminalize us with metal detectors.
‘See you at your house. We will murder you.’
Patel then mentioned Mahatma Gandhi and claimed that the Hindu festival called Chaitra Navaratri calls for ‘violent revolution against their oppressors’
Patel is seen being arrested for his death threats at Wednesday’s meeting. A public defender entered a not guilty plea on Patel’s behalf on Friday
After her violent call to action, Mayor Goh motioned to the officers and then addressed Patel directly.
‘Ms. Patel, what you said at the end was a threat, so the officers will escort you out and deal with it, Mayor Goh said.
She was subsequently arrested and charged with crimes for her threats against the council and the mayor.
Patel faces 18 felony charges following her arrest — including 10 counts of making threats with intent to terrorize and eight counts of making threats against certain state officials, including city council members and the mayor, according to the criminal report.
A public defender entered a not guilty plea on Patel’s behalf.
She remains in police custody on $2 million bail. She is expected to appear in court next on April 24.
After Patel’s outburst went viral and garnered thousands of negative comments, other protesters present at the rally who shared similar criticism publicly distanced themselves from Patel.
Other pro-Palestinian protesters who attended the same rally have since distanced themselves from Patel’s desire to kill.
The pro-Palestinian group called the United Liberation Front said the threats were ‘contrary to our values’ in an Instagram post.
“It does not represent those of us in the community who continue to show up and exercise our civic duty by engaging directly with our elected representatives,” the group added.
City officials have confirmed that the extra security measures were not prompted by the protesters, who entered their eighth week of meetings on Wednesday.
Officials told Bakersfield.com the measures were part of a five-year process to implement improved security — a standard for similarly populated California cities.