Oakland (Special to ZennieReport.com) – Bryan Azevedo San Leandro Councilmember is being treated like the popular high school quarterback targeted online by haters who never played sports. The only difference between teenagers who act like that and the actors in this play, is their age. We have people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, who act like they’re 15, 16, and 17, and up against a comparatively mature Councilmember Azevedo.
Take this detailed account drawn from “San Leandro City Councilmembers Azevedo And Thomas Fake Fight A Setup?” here at ZennieReport.com:
The reported physical altercation between San Leandro city council member Bryan Azevedo and former San Leandro council member Lee Thomas during a San Leandro Democratic Club candidate forum on September 7th is reported to have been picked up by a camera in the hallway of the library venue used for the event.
Moreover, Zennie62Media was informed that the not-yet-released video from that source tells a vastly different story than the one pushed by a media personality allegedly hired to put out dirt about Councilmember Azevedo, and a news organization (the East Bay Times / Mercury News) that endorsed former San Leandro council member Ed Hernandez, Azevedo’s 2020 Election rival he defeated.
The Mercury News reporter Chase Hunter wrote that “Thomas said he was accosted after he began filming a conversation outside of the forum between Azevedo and blogger Steven Tavares of East Bay Insiders”.
The basic event facts are agreed upon: “ The San Leandro Democratic Club held a public forum on Saturday September 7th 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.
However, there was no actual fight, only a near confrontation that reportedly started when former Councilmember Thomas said words to current Councilmember Azevedo (and threatened his mother by pushing a camera in her face against her request to stop), and Azevedo then turned around to see what was going on. Thomas was approaching Azevedo, yet being held back by Lopez, who can be seen holding his shoulder, in the library video, while Tavares was reportedly watching in the background. Azevedo said he walked away, but Thomas was following him into the parking lot saying “I’m going to get you!”
Welcome to San Leandro, today!
Historically, San Leandro, California isn’t known as a place where immature, teen-age-level social media behavior spills over into politics. To long-time Oaklanders like me, San Leandro was known as a suburb of Oakland best described as an enclave for nice, older white families; black folks there but in short supply. The San Leandro of today has changed in that way, as it’s run by a racially and ethnically diverse community completely different from its past. But the trade-off is a politics that’s not too different from the toxic internet and mobile exchanges of teenagers.
Adults Acting Like Teens In Attacks On Councilmember Azevedo
And on top of that, social media is used to stage “trigger” events, where some former San Leandro City Councilmembers, namely Lee Thomas and Ed Hernandez, team up with other like-minded 47-year-olds-going-on-17 and plot to make Councilmember Azevedo upset by picking on, of all people, his parents.
So much for Lee Thomas and Ed Hernandez having any respect for the elderly. And I guess no one told Mr. Thomas that sticking a camera in the face of Councilmember Azevedo’s elderly mother was a violation of California Penal Code 368 PC. But it is: Penal Code 368 PC elder abuse statute makes it a crime to inflict physical or emotional abuse on anyone 65 years or older. But details like that completely escape the man-children involved in the harassment of Councilmember Azevedo and his family. If you’re wondering what went down, it’s here:
First, Political Blogger Steven Tavares was reportedly “heckling and harassing” Councilmember Azevedo before his parents and his wife, and was joined in the action by Mr. Thomas. Second, Azevedo said Thomas was recording his mother against her will and so Azevedo came to his Mom’s defense, and tried to get his Mom to walk away. Then, Lee Thomas and Steven Tavares started saying “all kinds of stuff” including inappropriate language, according to several observers who texted me, later. In the library video, both reportedly can be seen yelling at Azevedo and his family, but he’s not talking to them.
Third, Chanse Hunter wrote “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.” Azevedo told Zennie62Media that Thomas was harassing ’s mother with a camera while Tavares watched the action after reportedly attacking Azevedo. Azevedo says that he came up to escort his angry mother away from Lee Thomas.
Actions Point To A Possible Setup By Hernandez and Lee Against Azevedo At The Forum
There are a number of observers who contend that the entire matter was a “setup” plotted by Ed Hernandez and Lee Thomas and against Bryan Azevedo. Apparently, the plan was to upset the passionate Councilmember Azevedo and then capture the expected behavior using the camera Lee brought to the forum. Zennie62Media has learned that Lee and Hernandez are very good friends and Hernandez has been featured on Lee’s Apple-based podcast show called “The Merinade”. That view is confirmed by this exchange found on the Facebook Page of the San Leandro Democratic Club:
Jacqueline Jacqrat Propps: “Ed and Lee set a trap”
Stephen Cassidy: “wow Ed must have magical powers to trigger an altercation when he was in another part of the library.”
Jacqueline Jacqrat Propps “Even before the debate Ed was trying to get as close as he could to hear Bryan’s mom and my conversation. Intimidation. Everyone can see they are working together, frequently with you, too. It’s a continuing wave of aggressive behavior.”
Dawn Whitney Fregosa “or someone couldn’t keep his temper under control.”
Debbi Moses “Who is Lee?”
Jacqueline Jacqrat Propps “A self proclaimed ‘successful businessman’ who can’t get over that he was voted off council and spends countless hours bullying and spreading lies about a sitting council member. His name is Lee Thomas; a poster child for a “disgruntled ex-employee.” Based on their actions on various social and local media these past two cycles, he and his partner(s) in crime are unfit to serve.”
By the way, Stephen Cassidy is Ed Hernandez’ campaign consultant.
Did All Of This Work, And Who’s Lawrence A. On Nextdoor?
Well,first, did all of the scheming of Thomas and Hernandez work? Well, since Councilmember Azevedo landed the endorsement of the San Leandro Democratic Club, the answer is a flat out “NO”. The fact is, a lot of this immature behavior is carried out on Nextdoor, the social media platform that’s neighborhood-focused. And it’s here that someone who calls himself “Lawrence A.” makes himself known as, well Lawrence A.
Lawrence A. has a weird obsession with Councilmember Bryan Azevedo. A simple Nextdoor search will reveal that Lawrence A. has posted about no one other than Bryan Azevedo quasi-daily since June 29th of this year. A seemingly non-stop-string of accusations and name calling using immature references normally associated with teenagers, or just flat out insults.
For example, in one exchange Lawrence A.writes “Bryan lacks the ability to create coherent and lucid responses on his own, not to mention his struggles with forming complete sentences.” Clearly Lawrence A. had a point of view regarding Councilmember Bryan Azevedo that’s borderline insane. What Lawrence A does is cyberharassment, and it’s just a matter of time before he’s nailed on Nextdoor.
Between Lawrence A., Ed Hernandez, and Lee Thomas. it’s clear that San Leandro is cursed by residents who will stop at nothing to commit crimes against a sitting elected official just because he’s running for reelection. But their hatred for Bryan is so irrational, they will not stop. And as one can see, the hatred is for the very person he is, and not his policy positions. I wonder if Lawrence A., Ed Hernandez, and Lee Thomas realize that the reason Bryan Azevedo is popular is because he’s not trying to be someone he’s not.
Bryan Azevedo’s a regular good guy.