A video of a protester threatening members of a California city council with murder has gone viral after it was shared online by conservative social media accounts.
The protester, identified by local media as 28-year-old Riddhi Patel, was arrested inside Bakersfield City Council chambers on Wednesday and later charged with felony counts for her threats to the council.
Patel, who can be heard in the video mentioning Palestinians, made the threats while she spoke during a portion of the council meeting that allowed comments from the public.
The main subject of her remarks were security upgrades at city council meetings that include metal detectors. The additions, which were being used for a trial period, were later unanimously approved by the council at Wednesday’s meeting.
“You guys want to criminalize us with metal detectors,” Patel said to the council. “We’ll see you at your house. We’ll murder you.”
Getty Images
Patel added: “I hope one day somebody brings the guillotine and kills all of you motherf******.”
The conservative X, formerly Twitter, account Libs of TikTok posted a clip of Patel’s remarks on Friday afternoon. The post has over 1.6 million views as of press time.
WILD: Unhinged Pro-Palestine protestor Riddhi Patel threatens to M*RDER Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh (R) in a psychotic rant during a city council meeting.
Patel is being charged with 16 felonies and is being held on a $1 million bail. pic.twitter.com/09PeBCWoNz
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 12, 2024
Collin Rugg, co-owner of conservative commentary outlet Trending Politics, later shared Libs of TikTok’s video. His post has garnered more than 139,000 views.
KGET TV, an NBC affiliate station in Bakersfield, reported that city council meetings “have been filled with tension” in recent weeks “as pro-Palestinian protesters urged council members to pass a cease-fire resolution for the Israel-Hamas War.”
The station spoke with a councilman who was present during Patel’s outburst, and he said the council “will not be intimidated.”
“To have that type of a threat, in that type of public setting is completely inappropriate, unproductive and is deeply concerning,” Councilman and Vice Mayor Andrae Gonzales told KGET.
Gonzales continued: “Sit at the table like adults and exchange ideas, go back and forth really trying to figure out how we can find a path together. Making real threats to elected officials and decision-makers is not the way to influence others. Nobody on the city council will be intimidated to action.”
The United Liberation Front, a pro-Palestinian group, said in a statement after the Bakersfield incident that it “condemns any statements that threaten public officials” and that Patel’s words are “counter to our values and do not represent United Liberation Front.”
Newsweek reached out to the city of Bakersfield’s public communications office and the Bakersfield Police Department via email on Friday for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.