Throw down in the 'Dro town
San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo nearly came to blows with a former elected official, and later drew the ire from the city's fire union for saying they don't belong in politics.
ELECTION 2024
SAN LEANDRO
—DRAMA IN THE DRO—San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo was involved in a violent confrontation with a former councilmember following a candidate’s forum on Saturday afternoon.
—After Azevedo and former San Leandro Councilmember Lee Thomas exchanged words in the hallway of the San Leandro Main Library, they bumped chests before the fight was broken up by a group of individuals that included San Leandro Mayor Juan Gonzalez and former Councilmember Corina Lopez.
—Thomas sustained an injury to his shoulder and was treated at the hospital after an unknown individual held him back in an arm bar.
—Lopez was treated at the hospital for an injury to her forearm. Lopez said Azevedo pushed her out of the way in his haste to confront Thomas.
—Thomas and Lopez both filed police reports after the incident. It’s unknown if Azevedo did the same.
—The San Leandro Democratic Club issued a statement about the incident on Sunday night, saying the club is “disappointed in the turn of events” on Saturday afternoon. “The club is fully committed to civility, non-violence, treating everyone with respect, and adherence to the San Leandro Library Code of Conduct.”
—There were few signs during and immediately after the roughly one-hour endorsement meeting that a melee was potentially imminent. Although, Azevedo and Ed Hernandez, his opponent in the District 2 race this November briefly exchanged words. Hernandez broke protocol and attempted to ask Azevedo a question.
—Hernandez, however, was not in the area where the confrontation occurred.
—Outside the meeting, Azevedo quickly became agitated that Thomas was shooting video of him with a cellphone.
—Azevedo complained that Thomas was going to put the video on Nextdoor in an effort to embarrass him, “because he’s scared to talk in person to me.”
—At this point, according to witnesses, Azevedo and Thomas forcefully bumped chests before several onlookers attempted to pull them apart.
—Lopez was injured after attempting to keep Azevedo and Thomas apart, she said. Her forearm was briefly lodged between the two. The severity of her injury is unknown, she said, due to the swelling on her forearm.
—Thomas declined to comment about the incident, but said he suffered a strained shoulder, neck, and ribcage, and is being treated with painkillers.
—Thomas said he believes the injuries he sustained were caused by an individual with ties to Azevedo who pulled Thomas’s arms behind his back during the confrontation in effort to separate the two.
—The entire incident occurred directly in the line of sight of a library surveillance camera. It’s unclear whether footage of the incident was captured by the camera, which appeared to be in working order.
—San Leandro police officers entered the library on Saturday afternoon to secure the video evidence.
—On Sunday, Azevedo wrote on Facebook, “The lies they keep putting out. The cameras will show the lie. I have these bullies trying to bully me and my family. I’m tired of people calling my wife illegal. Anything to try to beat me in an election.”
—It’s not clear what the reference to Azevedo’s wife means in relation to the incident on Saturday.
—Lopez called for the video to be immediately released to the public.
—“I worry that the video will be buried during an investigation. And that this will be covered up through that process in a way that keeps the public uninformed and disenfranchised during an election season,” Lopez said.
—“I think the members of the public need to be able to see the video immediately to make their conclusions about who represents them. The library should be a safe space for all. Public officials need to be held to the highest standard.”
—The confrontation and the controversy it has created comes at a pivotal time in the District 2 campaign, and could affect Azevedo’s chances in gaining, not only the San Leandro Democratic Club’s endorsement, but also the valuable backing of the Alameda County Democratic Party.
—Azevedo’s race was initially placed on Saturday’s consent calendar, suggesting approval of his endorsement was essentially a formality. But Azevedo was pulled from consent on Saturday morning, prior to the incident at the library, meaning Azevedo and Hernandez will make their case for the party’s endorsement this Saturday.
—FIRESTORM—Questions about San Leandro Councilmember Bryan Azevedo’s fitness for elected offices are likely to be raised following Saturday’s melee. Unfortunately for Azevedo, he created a firestorm at Saturday’s forum that could reverberate for some time.
—Azevedo told San Leandro Democratic Club members that, while he supports the city’s police officers, he does not believe their union or the city’s firefighters’ union belongs in politics.
—It’s a provocative stance in San Leandro where police and fire unions have traditionally wielded great influence in city politics.
—Azevedo’s comment came after his November opponent in District 2, Ed Hernandez touted endorsements from the San Leandro Police Officers Association, Alameda County Firefighters Union Local 55, and Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez.
—Sean Burrows, the president of the Alameda County Firefighters Union Local 55, blasted Azevedo for his comment.
—“Firefighters must be involved politically because of those elected officials that threaten our livelihoods and safety,” Burrows said on Sunday.
—“It is confusing that Mr. Azevedo now believes the firefighters should not be involved in politics when he happily accepted our endorsement during his first run for city council and worked hard for our endorsement during his failed run for mayor.”
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
—💰MONEYBALL—Form 497 large campaign contributions filed on Sept. 6-8:
ALAMEDA COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
—John Bauters (District 5), Angela Tsay of Oakland, $4,500; East Bay Rental Housing Association PAC, $1,000; Tobias Kahan of Oakland, $1,000. TOTAL: $6,500.
CITIES
ALAMEDA
—Greg Boller (Alameda City Council), Peter McGuinness of Alameda, $1,000. TOTAL: $1,000.
BERKELEY
—Yes on X for Libraries Committee, (Supports Measure X parcel tax), Carole Leita of Berkeley, $1,000. TOTAL: $1,000.
—Berkeleyans for Effective Climate Action, No on GG (Opposes fossil fuel tax), California Association of Realtors Issues Mobilization PAC, $10,000. TOTAL: $10,000.
—Berkeley Citizens for Safe Streets (Supports Measure FF parcel tax), IBEW Local 595 Issues PAC, $5,000; Berkeley Firefighters Association Local 1227 PAC, $2,000. TOTAL: $7,000.
DUBLIN
—Kristian Reyes (Dublin USD, Area 1), Dublin Teachers Association PAC, $1,180. TOTAL: $1,180.
—Save Dublin Open Space, No on Measure II (Opposes land donation measure), Jeannette King of Livermore, $5,000; Diana Hanna of Castro Valley, $2,000. TOTAL: $7,000.
NEWARK
—Terrence Grindall (Newark City Council), Terrence Grindall of Newark, $3,000. TOTAL: $3,000.
PLEASANTON
—Matt Gaidos (Pleasanton City Council-District 4), Chris Koopmans of Pleasanton, $1,000. TOTAL: $1,000.
—Vivek Mohan (Pleasanton City Council-District 4), Sukhwinder Sangha Pleasanton, $1,000. TOTAL: $1,000.
STATE LEGISLATURE
STATE SENATE
—Jesse Arreguin (7th Senate District), Denny Abrams of Berkeley, $2,500; Luke Miner of San Francisco, $1,000. TOTAL: $3,500.
—Jovanka Beckles (7th Senate District), Katy Hakimian of Mill Valley, $1,000. TOTAL: $1,000.
—Marisol Rubio (9th Senate District), Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Candidate PAC, $2,500. TOTAL: $2,500.
STATE ASSEMBLY
—Liz Ortega (20th Assembly District), United Food and Commercial Workers Active Ballot Club, $2,500. TOTAL: $2,500.
—🧾EXPENDITURES—Form 496 Independent Expenditure Reports filed on Sept. 6-8.
CITIES
OAKLAND
—Zac Unger (Oakland City Council-Dist. 1), Oakland Citizens for Public Safety, Supporting Zac Unger for City Council 2024, Sponsored by International Association of Firefighters. SUPPORT (Website—$1,220). TOTAL: $1,220.
