New Delhi: Police arrested an Indian-origin woman in the United States and charged her with making terrorist threats against the Mayor of Bakersfield in California. The woman allegedly issued threats at a city council meeting on Wednesday for not backing a ceasefire resolution in Gaza, NDTV reported.
In a viral video from the meeting, the arrested Riddhi Patel was heard making the threats. She expressed her desire for oppressed minorities to guillotine the city's officials. She said that even Jesus Christ would have condemned the officials.
In her speech, she could be heard saying, "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."
Reports suggest that Patel made the threats in two different speeches she delivered at the city council meeting on Wednesday evening. After voicing her support for the ceasefire motion, she condemned the council members as "horrible human beings", after anticipating a rejection of the motion.
Later, in her second speech, she criticised the installation of additional security measures at the government building, such as metal detectors. She called the fresh measures attempts to criminalise protesters.
"You guys, those who vote 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," Patel was heard saying.
She ended her speech by saying, "We'll see you at your house. We'll murder you."
Mayor Karen Goh responded immediately to Patel's words, asking police officers to take action. Police escorted Patel out of the chambers to police custody. Police informed that she faces 16 felony counts, including threatening with intent to terrorise and target city officials.