San Leandro city council members nearly fight at candidate forum
San Leandro police are investigating a physical altercation between San Leandro city council member Bryan Azevedo and former council member Lee Thomas during a Democratic Club candidate forum at the San Leandro Main Library on Sept. 7.
The skirmish sent Thomas and San Leandro city council member Corina Lopez to the emergency room, each of whom filed police reports after the incident, according to San Leandro Police Lt. E.A. Teng. Thomas said he was accosted after he began filming a conversation outside of the forum between Azevedo and journalist Steven Tavares of East Bay Insiders.
“I should not have to be scared of a politician,” Thomas said. “I should not have to worry about my safety or being attacked.”
Azevedo did not respond to multiple inquiries from this news organization.
The San Leandro Democratic Club held a public forum on Saturday to provide endorsements for candidates in local races, including City Council Districts 2 and 6, East Bay Municipal Utility District Ward 5 and East Bay Regional Parks Ward 4. Azevedo is a current San Leandro city councilmember for District 2, and ran for mayor of San Leandro in 2022. He is facing Ed Hernandez, who previously served on San Leandro’s city council from 2016 to 2020.
During a break in the candidate forum, Azevedo went to a hallway adjacent to the lecture hall and began speaking with Tavares, Thomas said. Thomas said he did not know what the conversation between Tavares and Azevedo concerned. Tavares could not be reached for comment.
“It looked like it was getting contentious, so I started recording the conversation,” Thomas said. “Then, Azevedo’s mom came over and made some verbal words against me. She was upset and also had some words with the journalist.”
Azevedo then confronted Thomas, stating that he was upset about the recording of his conversation with Tavares. Azevedo then “charged me with his chest,” as they each prepared for blows, Thomas said.
Lopez stepped in between the two men to prevent the incident from further escalation and her left arm was hit in the ensuing scuffle, she said.
“I just didn’t want it to happen,” said Lopez. “I just walked into it. I interceded and tried to keep the two of them apart.”
Thomas said he readied to physically defend himself against Azevedo, but was stopped when another man, who Thomas identified only as Azevedo’s friend, placed him into an armbar lock that strained his shoulder. Azevedo continued to charge him until the altercation was broken up, Thomas said.
Immediately following the melee, Lopez said she felt pain in her left arm and she knew it was injured. She attempted to go back to the forum thinking she was OK and could complete her duties as the club’s vice president.
As the pain grew, however, Lopez said she was forced to leave the forum early. She attempted to drive to an emergency room on her own but found she could not with the pain in her arm. A family member then came and assisted her to a hospital. She declined to provide details about the diagnosis.
Thomas said he also went to the emergency room for a strained shoulder.
Police have yet to release more details, citing an ongoing investigation.