Retired Professor Arrested After Stopping Delivery Robot, Vows to Repeat Protest
WHO:
The Independent - Carolyn Marvin is a 78-year-old retired University of Pennsylvania communications professor who has repeatedly blocked autonomous delivery robots in protest.
CNN - Philadelphia police responded to the incident; a police spokesperson said officers encountered a woman refusing to let a delivery robot pass.
CNN - Philadelphia personal injury attorney John Mattiacci described the legal obligations of personal delivery devices.
The Independent - Marvin said she had previously protested for civil rights, abortion rights and Black Lives Matter, and against the Vietnam and Gulf wars.
WHAT:
CNN - Marvin was arrested after blocking an Uber Eats delivery robot and received a disorderly conduct citation. Police said they had responded to a report of “criminal mischief involving a delivery robot.”
The Independent - Officers repeatedly ordered Marvin to move; she allegedly refused.
CNN - Marvin said she may delay a robot for 10 or 15 minutes, and that a food order might be delayed “for about 15 minutes at the most.”
CNN - Uber Eats launched its robot delivery fleet in Philadelphia in March; Philadelphia was the fourth city to offer robot meal deliveries.
CNN - Marvin said her protest draws attention to delivery-worker job displacement, sidewalk hazards and privacy concerns involving cameras embedded in the robots.
The Independent - Marvin said she intends to continue blocking robots: “Oh yeah.”
CNN - Marvin said, “I was under the impression that I had more rights than the robot did.”
WHERE:
The Independent - The encounter occurred near the 1200 block of Filbert Street in Center City, Philadelphia.
CNN - Marvin encountered the robot while returning home from a flu shot appointment, carrying enchilada sauce and chicken biryani takeout.
WHEN:
CNN - Pennsylvania passed the law defining autonomous delivery robots as personal delivery devices in 2020.
CNN - The arrest occurred on October 14; the article does not specify the year.
WHY:
CNN - Marvin said she sees the protest as a way to defend public space and ensure “the government hears the will of the people.”
The Independent - Marvin said robots have no place on sidewalks and argued, “I don’t think we should surrender the sidewalks to machines.”
HOW:
CNN - Pennsylvania law classifies autonomous delivery robots as pedestrians rather than vehicles. Vehicles must yield to them at crosswalks, while the devices must yield to pedestrians and pedalcyclists in pedestrian areas.
CNN - Marvin said she stands in a robot’s path and moves as it moves, when doing so is “convenient and possible.”
(UPDATED November 1, 2026 14:57 UTC)
A retired Philadelphia professor was arrested after repeatedly blocking an autonomous food-delivery robot. Carolyn Marvin received a disorderly conduct citation after refusing officers’ orders to move. She says the protests defend public sidewalks and raise concerns about jobs, safety and privacy.