Anti-Israel protester facing 18 felony counts for threatening city council members, mayor – cries like a baby at the arraignment

Original article here.

BAKERSFIELD, CA – On Friday, April 12th, an anti-Israel protester sobbed in front of a judge during her arraignment in a California courtroom after she allegedly threatened to murder public officials at a city council meeting in Bakersfield.

The woman, identified as 28-year-old Riddhi Patel, cried as she pleaded not guilty to 18 felony counts for alleged comments directed to Bakersfield city council members and Republican Mayor Karen Goh for not backing a Gaza cease-fire resolution against Israel and for installing metal detectors at city hall. She has eight counts of threatening a public official and 10 counts of making terroristic threats.

According to KGET, at her arraignment, she was ordered held on a $1 million bond and to stay at least 500 yards away from city hall. Court Commissioner Sally Ackernecht told Patel that she must also stay away from the homes and businesses of those who whom her remarks were intended for during the meeting.

Patel was reportedly seen on video during the public comment section of a city council meeting that was held on Wednesday, April 10th, claiming that she hoped oppressed minorities would “guillotine” city government members, declaring that even Jesus Christ would kill them, and threatening to go to their houses and murder them. The video, that has been widely dispersed on social media show Patel saying, “We’ll see you at your house, we’ll murder you.”

Patel accused the city council members of not caring about the oppression of Palestinians or people anywhere else in the world and later expressed hope that the “global south” will rise up and execute them. She said, “I remind you that these holidays that we practice, that other people in the global south practice, believe in violent revolution against their oppressors, and I hope one day somebody brings the guillotine and kills all of you mother (expletive).”

Later in the meeting, she blasted the mayor and city council for installing metal detectors in the building, calling it an “attempt to criminalize protesters.” After unleashing her many threatening comments, the mayor called on police present at the meeting to escort Patel out of the building. According to the Los Angeles Times,  Patel grew up in Bakersfield and works as the economic development coordinator for a local nonprofit.

Several other protesters, who have called on the city council to pass a resolution condemning Israel’s actions in the way against Hamas, have been arrested at past meetings for refusing to leave once the chambers were ordered cleared. Of those, two face felony counts, one for allegedly breaking a glass door at city hall causing an estimated $2,000 in damage.

The mayor declined to comment, telling a local television station that “since the incident is under investigation, it’s not appropriate for me to offer comments.” However, Vice Mayor Andrae Gonzales told KGET-TV Channel 17 that the exchange between Patel and the city council members was “deeply concerning” and “completely inappropriate.” He added, “The city can’t function during a public council meeting if we’re being continuously disrupted.”

The United Liberation Front, the local group calling for a cease-fire, publicly condemned Patel’s comments, saying, “It does not represent those of us in the community who continue to show up and exercise our civic duty.”