Retired professor arrested after blocking Uber Eats delivery robot on Philadelphia sidewalk

In Philadelphia, retired professor Carolyn Marvin staged a solo blockade against an Uber Eats delivery robot, resulting in her arrest on a disorderly conduct charge. The robot, manufactured by Avride, has been delivering meals in the city since March. Marvin, who previously taught a freedom-of-expression class at Penn, has been confronting such machines for months, arguing they displace human delivery workers for corporate profit.

Police officers asked her multiple times to move, but she remained, citing her constitutional right to protest. She intends to contest the citation, framing the demonstration as an exercise of citizenship. The incident has sparked mixed reactions online, with some praising her stance and others condemning the obstruction of deliveries.