Indian-American Riddhi Patel, arrested for ‘murder’ threats to city officials, sacked by employer

Patel's former employer, the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment (CRPE), says it unequivocally condemns any threats of violence or unethical behaviour.

Riddhi Patel at the Bakersfield City Council meeting | Photo: X/@HinduAmerican

New Delhi: Indian-American Riddhi Patel, charged with 18 felonies for threatening city officials in California with murder, has been terminated by their former employer, the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment (CRPE), ThePrint has learnt.

The CRPE in a statement to ThePrint said, “The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE) became aware of an incident involving our former employee, Riddhi Patel, at the Bakersfield City Council meeting on April 10, 2024.

It added: “As a result of this incident, we made the decision to terminate Riddhi Patel. We recognise this is a difficult situation, and we are dedicated to handling it with the utmost care and sensitivity.”

CRPE added that as an organisation, it “unequivocally condemns any threats of violence or unethical behaviour”. Patel was arrested after the council meeting on 10 April.

As reported by ThePrint earlier, Patel, who identifies as non-binary, was an economic development coordinator at the CRPE and had joined the organisation in September 2020, according to their social media profile.

Patel, 28, appeared before the regular meeting at the Bakersfield city council on 10 April, first to speak in favour of the city adopting a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. They spoke for a second time against a resolution being debated by the council on the introduction of public screening (frisking) and other security measures in public buildings.

While speaking on the resolution to introduce frisking measures at city buildings, Patel said, “Regardless of whether you elect people in office, they will backstab you, they will let you die and for that reason you guys (council members) want to criminalise us with metal detectors, we will see you at your house. We will murder you.”

This was their second set of comments during the meeting. In the first, Patel urged the council to take up a Gaza ceasefire resolution drafted by the pro-Palestinian activist group, United Liberation Front.

The United Liberation Front condemned Patel’s threat against the city council members. In a statement published on 10 April, the organisation added that “the comments in question made tonight by a speaker run counter to our values and do not represent the United Liberation Front”.

Speaking in favour of a ceasefire resolution, Patel invoked Mahatma Gandhi and the festival of Chaitra Navratri as part of their comments to protest measures being discussed by the council.

“While you guys parade Gandhi around. As a Hindu holiday called Chaitra Navratri starts off this week, I remind you that these holidays we practise, that other people in the Global South practice, believe in violent revolution against their oppressors. I hope one day that somebody brings the guillotine and kills all of you m***** f******,” Patel said.

Patel was led out of the meeting following their comments and charged with 10 counts of felony threat with intent to terrorise and eight counts of threatening state officials. On 12 April, Patel’s bail was set at $1 million.

Their next hearing is expected on 16 April, followed by a pre-preliminary hearing set for 24 April at the Superior Court of California, County of Kern.

(Edited by Tikli Basu)