Woman Arrested for Blocking Delivery Robot in Philadelphia
A 78-year-old professor emeritus was arrested for disorderly conduct after repeatedly obstructing an Uber Eats delivery robot, citing concerns over job displacement.
A Philadelphia woman was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly blocking an Uber Eats delivery robot from completing its route. Carolyn Marvin, 78, a professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, was taken into custody around 1:16 p.m. on Filbert Street, near Reading Terminal Market.
Police approached Marvin after she had been standing in front of the robot for an extended period. She reportedly refused directives to move, leading to her arrest for disorderly conduct. Marvin stated her actions were a protest against the increasing use of delivery robots, which she believes are displacing human workers.
"I know they're taking the jobs of human delivery workers and so, I have been protesting them whenever I saw them by standing in front of them and preventing them from going forward," Marvin told WPVI. She also asserted her First Amendment right to publicly demonstrate on a sidewalk.
The Philadelphia Police Department confirmed that Marvin was issued a criminal violation notice. While this was her first encounter with law enforcement, Marvin's confrontations with delivery robots have previously gained local attention. One witness, Ashley Baldwin, initially mistook Marvin's protest for an accident involving the robot.
Marvin said she was leaving a flu shot appointment when the incident occurred. She views these encounters as opportunities to engage bystanders in discussions about the societal impact of automation. "It's always very interesting conversations that we have, and I think it's good to have those kinds of conversations in public space," Marvin stated.
Despite her arrest, Marvin indicated plans to continue her protests. She acknowledged that public opinion on her actions is divided, with some people concerned about the inconvenience to customers. However, she maintained that the broader issue of robots taking jobs is a more significant concern.
Food delivery robots, operated through Avride, were introduced in Philadelphia in March and are part of a growing fleet across the U.S. These robots operate in at least 10 metropolitan areas through partnerships with delivery platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash. Tech analyst Dan Ives estimates that approximately 5,000 robot couriers are currently operating nationwide, with expectations to reach 8,000 within three years. The industry is projected to generate over $5 billion in the U.S.
