Indian American woman threatens to ‘kill’ US mayor over Gaza ceasefire, charged

An Indian-American anti-Israel protester was arrested and charged after she threatened to “kill” a mayor and city council members during a local council hearing in California’s Bakersfield. Riddhi Patel (28), expressed her frustration at the council members for not backing a ceasefire resolution against Israel in Gaza and for tight security measures outside government buildings due to the anti-Israel protests in the US.

Patel, who faces 16 felony counts, also cited Mahatma Gandhi during her speech and said that “Jesus Christ would have probably” killed all council members for not backing the resolution. A video of her remarks has gone viral on social media.

“You guys are all horrible human beings and Jesus probably would have killed you himself. And none of you care because you guys don’t care about anything happening in Palestine or any other country where oppression occurs and where oppression occurs. “You guys don’t care about the oppression happening here,” she said.

She also lashed out at the enhanced security measures at government buildings across the US following police crackdown on anti-Israel protests.

“…You guys, those who votes 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.

“Patel added, “And I hope one day, somebody brings the guillotine and kills all of you m***********.”

Continuing her rant, Patel said those who were elected to office “would backstab you” and “leave you to die”. She claimed that anti-Israel protesters were being “criminalised with metal detectors”, and said, “We’ll see you at your house, we’ll murder you,” directing her threats at Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh and the city council members.

“In the last five years I’ve attended city council meetings there’s never been metal detectors, there’s never been more cops. The only reason you’re doing it is because people actually don’t care if you guys don’t like them and they’re actually resisting so you want to criminalise them,” she further said.

As Patel walked away from the podium after her remarks, Goh gestured to the police officers present inside the hall and called out the Indian American woman for her threats.

“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.

Bakersfield Police Sergeant Eric Celedon said that Patel was taken into custody and faces 16 felony counts, Fox News reported.

Of the 16 felony counts, eight counts were related to threatening with intent to terrorise and eight counts of threatening the mayor and city council members.

Anti-Israel protesters who were there with Patel distanced themselves from the remarks she made, calling it “shocking”.

“The comments of Riddhi Patel were shocking. They in no way represent those of us who continue to come to city council to demand a ceasefire and an end to the genocide (in Gaza). I ask that this does not distract anyone from our mission to end the genocide. Ceasefire now,” said Jenny Huh, a protester.

Hindu American Foundation, a Washington DC-based non-profit advocacy group, denounced the threatening remarks made by Patel.

“We are outraged that this person invokes Gandhi and Chaitra Navaratri while threatening to murder Bakersfield leaders. The escalation of antisemitic rhetoric from anti-Israel demonstrations into terroristic threats is a horrific reality that we condemn. It must stop now,” the Hindu American Foundation wrote on X.

Several countries, including the US, and international organisations are pressing on Israel for a ceasefire in Gaza after the six-month-old war, triggered due to a sudden Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, has claimed more than 33,000 lives.

Israel, which has vowed to continue fighting till Hamas is “eliminated”, is also facing an imminent threat of being attacked by Iran following this month’s Israeli strike on an Iranian embassy in Syria.