Atlanta resident speaks out after mayor tells him to ‘shut up’ over transit concerns

Atlanta Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens drew criticism Thursday after telling constituent Jonathan Brimer to "shut up" when Brimer pressed the mayor on voter-approved transit and pedestrian-safety commitments.

The exchange began after Dickens posted a video on his Instagram Friday showing his visit with Nature Gurlz, an Atlanta group that encourages Black women to spend time outdoors.

Brimer responded to the post by pressing the mayor on transportation priorities .

"Have some fun by restoring Peachtree St’s pedestrian-centric design in downtown and by delivering what we voted for with extra sales taxes for MARTA by getting Beltline rail done," Brimer said.

VIOLENT TRANSIT ATTACKS IN ATLANTA, NEW YORK AND CHARLOTTE FUEL CALLS FOR TOUGHER TRACKING OF REPEAT OFFENDERS "Shut up and respect our legacy Black women residents that made this city that you get to enjoy freely," Dickens replied.

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Thursday, Brimer said he was surprised Dickens responded and even more surprised by the nature of the reply.

"I wasn’t expecting him to agree with me, but I also wasn’t expecting the mayor to tell a constituent to ‘shut up’ for raising a policy concern," Brimer said.

Fox News Digital asked Dickens' office Thursday whether the mayor personally posted the response, whether he stood by it and whether he planned to apologize.

The office declined to comment.

"Not weighing in on that at all," a spokesperson for the mayor’s office told Fox News Digital.

MAN FACING FEDERAL CHARGES AFTER ATLANTA TRAIN PASSENGER STABBED ABOUT 20 TIMES; FBI INVESTIGATING Brimer said his comment was aimed at the administration’s transportation decisions, not the women Dickens highlighted.

"My comment wasn’t directed at them.

It was directed at the mayor and at specific transportation and planning decisions his administration has made," he said.

"I think this exchange confirmed for me that I’m no longer particularly supportive of Mayor Dickens’ leadership." Brimer said he lived on the city's south side and respected his neighbors but objected to the mayor's treatment of a constituent.