An anti-Israel protester wept as a judge arraigned her in California on Friday for allegedly threatening to assassinate public officials at a city council meeting.
Riddhi Patel, 28, sobbed as she pleaded not guilty to 18 felony counts after making comments to Bakersfield city council members and Republican Mayor Karen Goh about not supporting a Gaza cease-fire resolution against Israel and establishing metal detectors at city hall.
Patel was ordered to be jailed on $1 million bail and kept at least 500 yards away from City Hall.
Patel was caught on tape during the public comment period of the city council meeting on Wednesday saying she wished persecuted minority would guillotine city government members, stating that even Jesus Christ would kill them and threatening to travel to their homes and murder them.
The protester accused council members of being unconcerned about the plight of Palestinians and others around the world and later voiced hope that “the global south” will rise up and execute them.
“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,” she went on to say.
Patel later chastised the mayor and municipal council for installing extra security measures such as metal detectors in the building, claiming it was an attempt to “criminalize” demonstrators.
She concluded her words with the following declaration: “We’ll see you at your house.” “We will murder you.”
As Patel completed speaking, Goh requested that police officers present at the meeting remove the protester from the building.
Patel was arrested and charged with eight counts of threatening state authorities and ten counts of making threats with the purpose of terrifying.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Patel grew up in Bakersfield and currently works as an economic development coordinator for a local nonprofit.
Patel is due back in court on April 24.
