BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (TND) A Bakersfield, California protester received a $2 million bond Wednesday after making death threats directed at city councilmembers.
Officers escorted Riddhi Patel, 28, out of a Thursday meeting of the Bakersfield City Council after she repeatedly threatened death toward councilmembers who were weighing a Gaza ceasefire resolution. Patel spoke out in favor of the resolution, but expressed skepticism toward the councils willingness to pass it.
I dont have faith that youll do this, Patel said of the resolution. You guys are all horrible human beings and Jesus probably would have killed you himself.
Patel, who identifies as non-binary, then threatened a violent uprising if council members chose to oppress their constituents.
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 motherf ------, Patel said.
Patel later addressed the council a second time, expressing outrage over the presence of metal detectors at the meeting.
In the last five years Ive attended city council meetings theres never been metal detectors, theres never been more cops, Patel said. The only reason youre doing it is because people actually dont care if you guys dont like them and theyre actually resisting so youre trying toc criminalize them.
Well see you at your house, they added. Well murder you.
Mayor Karen Goh then rebuked Patel, saying that was a threat, what you said at the end, so officers are going to escort you out and take care of that.
Officers booked Patel on eight counts of intent to terrorize and eight counts of threatening state officials for a total of 16 felony charges. They remain in police custody on $2 million bond.
Pro-Palestinian activism group United Liberation Front condemned the behavior in a statement.
United Liberation Front unequivocally condemns any statements that threaten public officials, it wrote. The comments in question made tonight by a speaker run counter to our values and do not represent United Liberation Front.
I get the need to pressure politicians into taking action against Netanyahu's cruel government, but this is not how to go about it. Sending death threats only makes people no better than the MAGA cultists. I'm just glad the United Liberation Front is condemning Riddhi Patel for their behavior.
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