The protester charged with threatening Bakersfield City Council members and other local officials is set to face trial in January.
After nearly eight months of proceedings in Kern County Superior Court, Judge David Wolf ordered a readiness hearing for defendant Riddhi Patel on Jan. 17, followed by a trial to start Jan. 27. Patel has been charged with 24 counts of threatening or attempting to threaten multiple city officials.
Patel was arrested April 10 after making public comments at a council meeting. Patel said some people celebrate Chaitra Navratri, a nine-day-long Hindu festival that began the same week as the meeting. She said people who celebrate these holidays believe in “violent revolution against their oppressors.”
“I hope one day somebody brings the guillotine back and kills all of you (expletive),” Patel said.
After the council unanimously voted to permanently implement metal detectors and heightened security at future meetings at City Hall, Patel returned to the lectern to make another statement during the public comment segment of the meeting.
“You guys want to criminalize us with metal detectors,” Patel said. “We’ll see you at your house. We’ll murder you.”
After Patel made this comment, City Attorney Virginia Gennaro signaled to Mayor Karen Goh, who told Patel that the things she said were threats. Patel was arrested at the meeting.
Patel remains out of custody on bail set at $500,000. Judge Wolf said previous orders will remain in full force.