WASHINGTON – An African-American Georgia state lawmaker says she “feared for her life” after a white man “verbally assaulted” her and told her to “go back to where you came from” because she had too many items in the express checkout line at a grocery store.

But on Saturday Eric Sparkes confronted Rep. Erica Thomas and said she was lying.

Thomas posted the tearful video on social media following the confrontation, according to USA Today. She said the man told her to “go back where she came from.”

Of course, this story made headlines.

Democratic presidential candidates spoke up for Thomas as #IStandWithErica started trending on Twitter. Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas, wrote, “Erica, thank you for serving your state and thanks to your husband for serving our country.”

The incident occurred days after a crowd at President Donald Trump’s July 17 rally in North Carolina started chanting “send her back,” after Trump criticized Somali-born congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

These are the consequences of a president who foments hate every day—and sees our diversity not as a strength but as a weakness. Erica, thank you for serving your state and thanks to your husband for serving our country. We are better than this, and together, we will prove it. https://t.co/eCrdZFgAPl — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) July 20, 2019

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “let’s be clear: this is on @realDonaldTrump and every single person who refuses to condemn his vile racism.”

Let’s be clear: this is on @realDonaldTrump and every single person who refuses to condemn his vile racism. #IStandWithErica https://t.co/Asx5kZaqbs — Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) July 20, 2019

The accused man, Eric Sparkes, told a different story.

Eric Sparkes showed up during a television interview with Republican state representative from Georgia, Erica Thomas, on Saturday, outside the Atlanta-area Publix store where the incident allegedly occurred, according to The Guardian.

We were getting ready to interview Rep. @itsericathomas outside the @Publix where she says a man called her the B word and told her to “go back where you came from”. Well… that man…was already here at the Publix because he wanted to speak to management. She confronted him. pic.twitter.com/b3J06g0Yh0 — Christian Jennings (@CJenningsWSB) July 20, 2019

Sparkes denied making any racially charged comment, saying “I am Cuban”. Thomas confronted Sparkes in front of reporters and said he had “degraded and berated” her.

Sparkes said he was a Democrat and was being unjustly attacked for political purposes.

Eric Sparkes "told [Channel 2's Christian Jennings] he is a lifelong Democrat and of Cuban nationality."https://t.co/A0tDJzztWD



That is not mentioned in this AP article: White man denies saying ‘Go back where you came from’https://t.co/XLyqYStnbs — Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) July 20, 2019

Thomas said on Friday that she never identified herself to Sparkes as a public official. She said she was so taken aback by his actions that she didn’t think to try to record them. She said she notified police and will seek store video.

In a statement, Publix has said the company was “cooperating with local law enforcement as they look into the matter.”

The incident came days after President Trump tweeted that four congresswomen of colour, including Somali-born Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, should go back to the “broken and crime-infested” countries they came from.

In her video, Thomas alluded to those attacks and accused the president of inciting hatred. During the television interview, she said Sparkes “needs to be held accountable because people can’t just go out and berate pregnant women.”