Overview
- Police say officers responded to a reported disturbance near Reading Terminal Market when 78-year-old Carolyn Marvin repeatedly stood in an Uber-branded delivery robot’s path and ignored multiple commands to move, leading to her arrest and a disorderly conduct charge.
- Local reporting identified the device as an Uber delivery robot and noted the company declined to comment to one outlet.
- Marvin told reporters she has blocked delivery robots before and says her actions are a protest against companies using robots to replace human delivery workers.
- Video of the confrontation circulated online and drew renewed attention to the issue; Marvin said she will contest the charge and plans to continue protesting on sidewalks.
- Delivery robots have become more common in U.S. cities for last-mile deliveries, and the incident raises practical questions about how cities will balance sidewalk access, pedestrian safety, worker displacement and rules for public protest.