An Indian-origin woman, identified as Riddhi Patel has reportedly been arrested in the United States and charged with making terror threats against the Mayor of California’s Bakersfield.
Speaking at a city council meeting on Wednesday, Riddhi Patel lashed out at officials and directed threats towards them for not backing a ceasefire resolution for the Israel-Hamas conflict.
A video of Riddi’s speech went viral on the internet wherein she expressed her desire for “oppressed minorities” to “guillotine” the city’s officials. “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,” she said in her speech.
According to an NDTV report, the Indian-origin woman made the threats during two separate speeches she delivered to the city council that evening.
She initiated her speech by citing support for the ceasefire resolution but anticipated its rejection and called the council members “horrible human beings”.
Subsequently, she criticised putting in additional security measures at the government buildings, like installing metal detectors, calling them attempts to “criminalise” protesters.
“You guys, those who vote to win in Bakersfield, parade Gandhi around and a Hindu holiday called Chaitra Navaratri that starts off this week. I remind you that these holidays that we practice, that other people in the global south practice, believe in violent revolution against their oppressors,” she said.
“We’ll see you at your house. We’ll murder you,” she concluded.
Bakersfield, Calif. — A prominent local far-left Indian-American activist threatened to kill city council members at their own homes during a speech on April 10. Riddhi Patel is a prison abolitionist, like Antifa ideologues, and is involved in local black and brown “abolitionist”… pic.twitter.com/bFur67f91D— Andy Ngô ️ (@MrAndyNgo) April 12, 2024
Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh responded to Riddhi’s statements, indicating to police officers present that action needed to be taken. “Ms Patel, that was a threat. What you said at the end and so the officers are going to escort you out and take care of that,” she said.
Riddhi was escorted out of the chambers and taken into custody by the police.
According to the Bakersfield Police, Riddhi faces 16 felony counts, including threatening with intent to terrorise and targeting city officials.
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