Mayoral candidate Ja'Mal Green faces controversy over protest videos

Activist Ja'Mal Green is responding to what may be his first controversy as a candidate for Chicago mayor.

It all stems from two videos showing him berating Chicago police officers back in 2016. One clip shows him shouting in an officer's face.

The pro-police activist group "Chicago Code Blue" released the videos on Thursday.

Green announced his run for Chicago mayor on Wednesday and now, he's apologizing -- not for being an activist -- but for some of his actions in the past. 

“I may have not used some best language when it comes to police officers and I want to fully apologize for that, but since then I’ve had an extensive relationship with the police department,” Green said.

Ja'Mal Green, 22, is not afraid of the spotlight – having been on the front lines of protests following the officer-involved shooting death of Laquan McDonald. Now, two videos posted on the pro-police Facebook page -- Chicago Code Blue -- show the mayoral candidate yelling at officers two years ago.

In the videos, Green was protesting outside the UIC Pavilion in response to then-presidential nominee Donald Trump's appearance later that night. The event was eventually canceled and both police and protesters suffered minor injuries that night.

Gary Snow posted the videos, including one of Green and another person following him outside CPD headquarters. He says now that Green is running for office, voters should see these videos. 

“I just wanted the people of Chicago to understand what Ja’Mal Green really is about,” Snow said. “I just found his character is one who will continuously seek the public eye by attacking and generalizing all Chicago police officers.”

“I love this city and I know we can do some amazing things and as an activist all I wanted to do was shed light on some of the issues that the community was going through and we are going to do that being mayor for everyone,” Green said.

Green is one of several candidates looking to oust current mayor Rahm Emanuel, including former CPD top cop Garry McCarthy.

The election is next year.