A 78-year-old semi-retired University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) communications professor, Carolyn Marvin, has been issued a ticket for disorderly conduct in Philadelphia. The charge stems from her repeated actions of blocking UberEats food delivery robots in public spaces.
Marvin, who has gained local recognition for her protests, was reportedly handcuffed and issued a ticket after refusing police requests to move from in front of a delivery robot. She stated to officers that it was her First Amendment right to protest against corporations in the same public space the robots occupy.
She is currently awaiting a court hearing date and plans to vigorously contest the charges. Marvin argues that the robots pose a hazard to people with mobility issues and contribute to job displacement, while others have expressed concern about her preventing customers from receiving ordered food.