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Celena Morrison-McLean — who serves as the city's executive director of the Mayor's Office of LGBT Affairs — was identified as the person yelling at the Pennsylvania State Police trooper as her husband, Darius McLean, is on the ground being handcuffed, according to multiple news outlets and city officials.
Pennsylvania State Police said it all began just after 9 a.m. near milepost 344.9, when a trooper pulled over an Infiniti sedan — allegedly driven by Morrison — for multiple vehicle code violations.
Then, a green Dodge sedan pulled up behind the trooper's vehicle. The trooper approached the Dodge, whose driver — purportedly McLean — became "verbally combative" and "refused lawful orders" made by the trooper, police said.
The trooper tried arresting McLean, who refused multiple times, at which point Morrison began interfering with the arrest, police said, identifying her only as the Infiniti driver.
This portion of the arrest appears to be the clip filmed by Morrison, 51, circulating on social media (see above).
"I work for the mayor!" Morrison yells from behind the camera, as the trooper is seen struggling to get McLean into handcuffs.
"Please, just stop," McLean yells from the ground on the shoulder of the highway.
Ultimately, both Morrison and McLean were arrested for resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct and more.
The William Way LGBT Center in a statement on Facebook said that McLean, who works at the center, and his wife were "unjustly arrested."
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker released the following statement on X
"Earlier today, a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper executed a car stop on the Vine Street Expressway in Philadelphia, reportedly for a Motor Vehicle Code violation. Celena Morrison, the City’s executive director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, was in the vehicle that was stopped.
"A video circulating on social media that depicts a portion of the incident is very concerning to me, and I will have no further comment until the investigation has been completed."
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