Bakersfield vice mayor on protester’s ‘murder’ threat

UN In Bakersfield, quote. CA, a pro Palestinian protester is facing charges over this moment before the City Council of Bakersfield last week. Hi there, my name is Rudy Patel. I’m here to speak in support of the City Council introducing A ceasefire resolution, specifically the one United Liberation Front has drafted. I don’t have faith that you’ll do this. You guys are all horrible human beings, and Jesus probably would have killed you himself. You guys want to criminalize us with metal detectors, but we’ll see you at your house. We’ll murder you. You guys want to criminalize us with metal detectors? We’ll see if your house will murder you. On Friday, Miss Patel was charged with 18 felony counts, including making terroristic threats and threatening a public official. She’s pleading not guilty and is due back next week. Andre Gonzalez is on that City Council. He’s also the vice mayor of Bakersfield. He was there for the exchange. So, Mr. Gonzalez, what was your reaction when she said what she said? It was shocking. It was chilling and honestly it was horrifying to a lot of us on the City Council. I just couldn’t believe it. And it wasn’t until the city attorney actually shouted, you know, that is a direct threat that that we kind of came to terms of the reality that what what had actually been said. I mean it was stunning. We’ve heard many comments in the past that are very colorful in in nature, but never a direct threat like that. Today, Patel’s public defender responded to CN NS request for comment and said quote, many people saw this threat for what it was and did not think it was credible, specific, immediate, unconditional or the other features which would have made it other than anything other than constitutionally protected speech. Miss Patel is passionate about many political causes and she is well known in these circles for being an outspoken advocate but never for being a violent one. That’s from Jacob Evans, the Deputy Public Defender. What’s your response? Well, I’ve known of Miss Patel for quite some time. She’s come to the City Council on various different issues and has again used some pretty outlandish language in the past. Unfortunately, I’ve also been out in public with the friends and for example, one one time out to dinner with a friend and Miss Patel came to my table and cussed me out basically in front of the whole crowd. I mean, this is someone who has demonstrated that type of behavior that we’ve all grown accustomed to, but never had she a threat saying that she was going to go to our homes and murder us. I mean that that is that that’s taking it to the next level and something that really is concerning as official. How does one weigh the issues of people getting passionate, heated, saying things that they maybe they don’t mean with the fact that you have every right to not have your life threatened? Just because you’re a deputy mayor doesn’t mean that anyone is allowed to do that. No one’s allowed to do that to the president. No one’s allowed to do that to Donald Trump. Certainly no one’s allowed to do it to you. How, how do you, how do you weigh that? Well, you know, we first and foremost want to hear from the community. We want to hear from our constituents throughout Bakersfield. You know, we’re growing city. We have lots of new opportunities, certainly lots of challenges. We won’t want to hear from all four corners of our city and all community groups. And we try to afford as much opportunity as possible. And you know, the public comment period and of our council meetings is the probably the most appropriate way to to address concerns. And so we we listen. But when a public speaker or any individual comes up and says we will go to your house and murder you, for me, that crosses the line. That’s a very specific statement and it is, it is jarring, bigger school. City Council’s a volunteer job. All of us are working in either nonprofits or companies or retired. We’re doing this because we care about our city and we care about its future and we want to help better. And so to receive a threat like that for many of us, it’s like I said, it’s jarring. Vice Mayor Andre Gonzalez, thanks for joining us today. Really appreciate it.