Philadelphia woman arrested after blocking Uber delivery robot in protest
Police in Philadelphia arrested a woman who stood in the way of an Uber delivery robot and would not move, PhillyVoice and 6abc reported. Carolyn Marvin was charged with disorderly conduct. She said she blocks the robots because they take work from people who deliver food, and that she will keep doing it.
Philadelphia police arrested a woman who repeatedly blocked the path of an Uber delivery robot in Center City, PhillyVoice and 6abc reported.
Officers responded to the 1200 block of Filbert Street, PhillyVoice and 6abc reported. Police said the woman, Carolyn Marvin, ignored multiple commands from officers to move, and she was charged with disorderly conduct, PhillyVoice and 6abc reported.
PhillyVoice reported that police got a report of "criminal mischief involving a robot" at about 1:16 p.m. Wednesday and issued a criminal violation notice for disorderly conduct. PhillyVoice said Marvin, 78, is a retired University of Pennsylvania professor who taught a course on freedom of expression.
Marvin said she was protesting because she believes the robots are taking work from human delivery workers, PhillyVoice and 6abc reported. She has blocked the robots before, and video of her past encounters has spread online, PhillyVoice and 6abc reported. PhillyVoice said this was the first time police had been involved.
Marvin said she will keep blocking the robots, PhillyVoice and 6abc reported. She said she is exercising her First Amendment right to protest, and PhillyVoice reported that she plans to contest the charge on those grounds.
"I think it's my First Amendment right to publicly demonstrate on a sidewalk to protest against delivery robots," Marvin said, 6abc reported.
Marvin said public opinion is divided, PhillyVoice reported. Some people support her, while others think the protest is unfair to customers who paid for delivery, she said. She said she never blocks the sidewalk for people walking.
Uber declined to comment, PhillyVoice reported.
What we know: Philadelphia police charged Carolyn Marvin with disorderly conduct after she refused to move out of a delivery robot's path, and she says she will keep protesting.
What we don't: How the charge will be resolved.
Where outlets agree PhillyVoice and 6abc report that Philadelphia police charged Carolyn Marvin with disorderly conduct after she refused officers' orders to stop blocking an Uber delivery robot.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.