Protester who threatened city council weeps at arraignment
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Riddhi Patel won’t be attending Bakersfield City Council meetings for a while.
The pro-Palestinian protester, charged with 18 felony counts after threatening council members, was ordered held on $1 million bail during her arraignment Friday and ordered to stay at least 500 yards away from city hall.
Patel, 28, wept during the hearing as a deputy public defender entered not guilty pleas on her behalf to eight counts of threatening a public official and 10 counts of making terroristic threats.
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Court Commissioner Sally Ackerknecht, upon hearing from prosecutor Ken Russell, told Patel she also must stay away from the homes and businesses of those to whom her remarks during Wednesday’s meeting were apparently directed, among them council members, the mayor, city attorney, city manager and city clerk.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, Patel, railing against recent security measures she said were installed as retaliation against protesters, said “We’ll see you at your house, we’ll murder you.” The threat was captured on video and has been widely distributed.
Several other protesters, who have called on the council to pass a resolution condemning Israel’s actions in the war against Hamas, have been arrested at past meetings after refusing to leave once chambers were ordered cleared. Two face felony counts, one for allegedly breaking a glass door at city hall, causing an estimated $2,000 in damage.
Patel is due back in court later this month.
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