OAKLAND — City Councilwoman Desley Brooks and the city were sued Thursday by a former Black Panther leader who claims the longtime elected official unleashed “a tsunami of criminal … violent conduct” against her during an assault last fall and that the city has ignored Brooks’ propensity for violent outbursts.

The $7 million lawsuit filed by Elaine Brown in Alameda County Superior Court alleges fresh details of an altercation on Oct. 30 between the two prominent Oakland figures inside Everett & Jones Barbecue, a restaurant near Jack London Square popular with city leaders.

“This conduct shows a person who is totally out of control, void of reason and … shows no sense of compassion,” Brown’s attorney, Charles Bonner, said Thursday. “In a civilized society, people do not act in this manner when they have a political disagreement. They reason with each and agree to disagree.”

The lawsuit pits one strong advocate for the city’s African-American community against another — and each is considered a political firebrand. Brown, 71, led the Black Panthers from 1974 to 1977 and recently has worked on a plan to transform a West Oakland lot into a farm and affordable housing employing former prison inmates. Brooks, 54, has not shied away from controversy since joining the City Council in 2002 while fighting for her East Oakland district.

A call to Brooks was not immediately returned. Previously, she declined to comment about the incident and said “at this point the best thing we can do is let the police complete their investigation.”

New details emerge

Brown declined to comment through her attorney. But according to her account in the lawsuit, the confrontation erupted over housing for Oakland’s black community. It began Oct. 30, when Brown went to the Broadway barbecue joint to celebrate the filing of a $2.1 million funding application with the city for the West Oakland affordable housing project. Already at the restaurant were Brown’s colleague, Len Turner, restaurant owner Dorothy King and Brooks sitting at a table near the bar.

Brown called the application filing a “victory.” Brooks allegedly shot back, arguing the black community needs homes to buy instead of apartments to rent.

“It is of no benefit to black people,” the lawsuit claims Brooks said. She allegedly also threatened to get the application withdrawn.

Later, the suit claims, Brooks followed Brown to another part of the restaurant and shouted “say it again,” a possible reference to Brown’s “victory” statement.

Brown then went after Brooks, according to the lawsuit, bringing up her record as a federal prosecutor and saying she put African-American people in jail, played a role in the police shutdown of Occupy Oakland, and supports the transport of coal through West Oakland.

“You are all talk,” Brooks allegedly responded. “I have not moved on you before because you’re old. But now I am tired of your bull—-.”

As King called for them to stop, Brown claims, Brooks shoved her, causing her to fall “head-over-heels” into a stack of chairs. That’s when Turner intervened and Brown went outside, only to return minutes later, according to the suit.

Earlier fight alleged

This is not the first time Brooks has gotten physical in a dispute, according to suit. During a closed-door City Council meeting sometime in 2005 or 2006, Brooks struck a city employee in the chest with her two fists, the suit says. The suit does not name the city worker or the exact time the incident occurred, nor was the alleged incident reported in the media.

Bonner argues in court papers the city knew Brooks’ history of name calling and physical confrontations. He described her demeanor two ways: “angry and angrier.”

Since being elected in 2002, the East Oakland politician has feuded with fellow council members and city officials over her campaign finance reports and outlasted a council attempt recently to have her censured over her role in building and operating a city youth center in her district without first obtaining city approval and using city funds to staff it. Despite this, Brooks has had support in her district, winning re-election three times.

Brown’s injuries

Brown claims she suffered bruises to her legs and left arm and had a lump on her head and pain in her right shoulder. In the month after the confrontation, the lawsuit states, her shoulder worsened and she underwent surgery for a rotator cuff tear, pictures of which are included in the lawsuit. Her head injury has caused dizziness, memory issues, headaches and other pain, the suit said. She also said she cannot do normal household tasks because of the surgery and is “powerless to do my work” for Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, and Oakland and the World Enterprises, where she is CEO.

The City Council in January denied a claim filed by Brown because the alleged assault did not occur “within the course and scope” of Brooks’ role as an elected official. Brooks was absent from the vote. The Oakland City Attorney’s Office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday evening.

The suit alleges elder abuse, assault, battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence. It seeks $3 million in punitive damages, $3 million from Brooks and $1 million from the city, plus attorney fees.

A criminal complaint Brown filed against Brooks alleging assault is still under investigation by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

David DeBolt covers Oakland. Contact him at 510-208-6453. Follow him at Twitter.com/daviddebolt.