Chicago protest leader Ja'Mal Green released from jail

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - On Tuesday night, cheers and celebration erupted outside the Cook County Jail after a high-profile Chicago protest leader posted bail and walked free.

It comes four days after 20-year-old Ja’Mal Green’s arrest for protests on Michigan Avenue.

It was somewhat of a chaotic scene about 9:30 Tuesday night as Green was released from jail after a woman identified as his mentor posted his $35K bail on her credit card to make his freedom possible.

About a dozen supporters and family members cheered with excitement as Green walked out of the Cook County Jail. They swarmed around him, as did reporters and photographers, as he made his way to a waiting car.

Green was arrested Saturday night and charged with seven counts, including aggravated battery to a police officer, attempting to disarm a police officer and resisting arrest.

Green said he was looking forward to proving his innocence in court and expressed gratitude to supporters, but otherwise did not have much to say. The judge ordered him to stay off social media.

His sister did a selfie video with him just before he headed home, and though he's hard to hear, he thanks supporters.

“I want to thank you all for your support, Chicago, thank you all for your support, this is an up-rise, I look forward to fighting this in court,” Green said.

All this comes as a new video has surfaced that appears to contradict some of the allegations laid out by the prosecutor in court that green punched a police officer.

The video, posted on YouTube by the Chicago Reader, appears to show Green shoving the police officer who had ordered him down from a barrier outside the Taste of Chicago. When Green did not comply, the officer pulled him down.

Green was not arrested after that altercation, but later in the protest.

Supporters say the video undermines some of the prosecutor’s case.

“You don't see a punch, you don't see him throwing a punch at anybody, you don't see him introduce the officer after yanking him down off of there and you see us around. You don't see throwing any punches, so that really throws out what she has to say,” said Green’s friend Jerod Steverson.

Green’s supporters said they already had that video and planned to use it in court as part of their defense.

Green has been ordered to be on electronic monitoring now that he's released, and also to stay off social media.