An arrest was made for 23-year-old Gabriela Saldana for a written threat on WhatsApp. In April of 2026, a Florida International University student wrote in a group chat containing 215 people that Benjamin Netanyahu should bomb the University.
According to an article by the College of Communications, Saldana wrote, “Netanyahu, if you can hear me, drop some bonbons for us Capstone students in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center,” and “There is going to be a bomb in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, and it was going to be Jonathan’s fault,” Johnathan being a supposed classmate. Saldana claims her message was a joke and should not be taken seriously, however, authorities thought otherwise, as people believed they were under threat.
The Florida International University responds to the chaos, stating, “An FIU student has been arrested for making a credible and imminent threat of violence at a planned university event. According to the investigation, the suspect identified a specific date, time, and venue. Given the ongoing investigation and federal student privacy laws, FIU has no further comment. There is no further threat to the university community.” This statement reassures students on campus and highlights the safety they seek to promote.
A social media trend regarding the tendency to ask Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, to bomb something in spite of anger. This is where Saldana’s comment originated and may have entirely caused her actions.
After police deemed her a possible threat, she was taken to court. According to 7News Miami, Judge Mindy S. Glazer states, “I can understand your position when you are saying this is a joke, but to an objective person, it’s not a joke, and it would be enough for probable cause. I’m not saying it’s enough for beyond a reasonable doubt. I don’t know if the state is going to be able to prove it in trial, but for purposes of this hearing, I believe there is enough for probable cause.” As a result of this, Saldana faces felony charges for intent to cause bodily harm and for threatening a school event. Her bond is $5,000.
This event sparks some controversy, as it may be seen as violating her First Amendment right to free speech. Students of this university who are associated with an offensive group chat containing multiple gender and race slurs have filed a lawsuit. The federal lawsuit is against the university for violating her right to freedom of speech, which she believes she has. Protesters are demanding accountability, as no one has been suspended or expelled from the school.
As the investigation continues, Saldana’s lawyer is defending her by claiming she was using her First Amendment and was influenced by the online social media trend known for asking Benjamin Netanyahu to threaten an area. As the investigation continues, deeper dives are being conducted into various school chats to target suspected threats.
