In video, Newark mayoral hopeful called cyclist ‘Aryan,’ homophobic epithet, in San Jose altercation

SAN JOSE — An altercation between a Newark motorist and a San Jose cyclist turned ugly earlier this week after the argument escalated and the driver began calling the cyclist “an Aryan” and using a homophobic slur, an interaction caught on camera and posted on YouTube.

The driver, Cornelius Lopes, is a former Newark City Council candidate who said he hopes to run for mayor in 2020. In texts and email communications with this news organization, he acknowledged his role in the squabble over an allegedly blocked bike lane, but said he was exercising his freedom of speech and that, “I violated no laws.” The cyclist, Ryan Thompsen, said he was at first confused, then upset by the choice of words.

“I assumed he meant I was the type of person Hitler wanted to keep around because of the historical usage of that word,” Thompsen said. “It felt bad.”

Thompsen said he had been riding home from work Thursday on Second Street near the intersection of San Salvador Street in downtown San Jose when he came across Lopes’ Nissan 350Z, parked with both back tires inside the green-and-white-striped bike lane, although there was still room for a single cyclist to pass between the car and the curb.

“That’s the bike lane,” Thompsen said to Lopes, as Lopes emerged from his car.

“Yeah, no s—,” Lopes replied.

Thompsen then told Lopes to “Get out of the bike lane,” but Lopes refused, telling him to go around the car. Thompsen repeated his demand and Lopes continued to refuse, in an interaction that quickly intensified.

“You’re an Aryan,” Lopes said. “You’ll get over it.”

Lopes continued, using a homophobic term, “All Aryans are f—. Your god’s a f–, you’re a f–, your father’s a f–.”

After exchanging a few more words, Thompsen cycled on. He said he did not file a police report because there was no physical altercation. He did call the city’s parking enforcement line, he said, but got only a message machine.

According to court documents, Lopes was also involved in an incident involving a bicyclist in 2004, when he allegedly extended his arm, striking a moving cyclist in the chest during a road race, and responded to a bystander who warned him not to go into the roadway during the race, “F— you, Jew.”

Lopes was later arrested and charged with “misdemeanor battery” for intentionally causing the collision with the cyclist, but according to the court documents “was never convicted.” He then sued the city of Newark, the Newark Police Department, the Newark police union and members of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for wrongfully arresting him. The lawsuit was dismissed.

In an unrelated case, Lopes said, he was a victim of a hate crime last year. He got into a quarrel with a neighbor in March 2018. The neighbor, who didn’t recognize him, questioned why he was there and ultimately pepper-sprayed him, according to a witness statement that Lopes provided. The witness said the neighbor described Lopes as “some black person” and felt threatened by his presence.

The reason? According to the witness, it started when Lopes told his neighbors’ prospective renters they were parked in the wrong spot.

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