Andrew Young, the former Atlanta mayor and veteran of the 1960s civil rights movement, said recent Atlanta protesters have been able to “show off with no consequences” and told city police officers to not get upset.

“Those are some unlovable little brats out there some times,” Young said in a meeting with officers at a southwest Atlanta precinct.

He visited to offer encouragement to officers as protests in Atlanta continue over shootings by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. Reporters were invited to witness the meeting.

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Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com