California prosecutors sought to bring additional charges Friday to the anti-Israel protester who told the Bakersfield City Council “We’ll see you at your house. We’ll murder you.”
The Kern County District Attorney’s Office filed for more threats charges in their case against Riddhi Patel, 28, after the defendant was originally charged earlier this month while advocating for a ceasefire resolution in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
A hearing on the three new charges will be held Wednesday. If approved, Ms. Patel would face 21 charges, many of them felonies, in light of her public comments during the Bakersfield City Council’s meeting on April 10.
Ms. Patel told the city council that she hopes “one day someone brings the guillotine and kills all you motherf———.”
Mayor Karen Goh informed Ms. Patel that her last comments could be considered criminal. Officers detained the activist inside the council chambers.
Ms. Patel was subsequently fired from her job as an economic development coordinator for a California-based advocacy organization.
The United Liberation Front, the pro-Palestine group that crafted the uniform ceasefire resolution, also condemned Ms. Patel’s comments.
The defendant is currently free on $500,000 bail.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.