UPDATE: Uber Issues Statement On Philly Taxi Protest

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Taxi drivers blocked off the streets leading up to City Hall in Center City on Thursday afternoon in protest of rival companies UberX and Lyft, according to multiple media reports.

Taxis had joined UberBlack drivers in a similar protest, that appeared to be more significant, in December.

The protesters allege that Uber X and Lyft run “illegal” operations, and that they have spent money on licenses and training which they say Uber X and Lyft ignore.

The protest Wednesday began at about 12:30 p.m.

Uber denies these claims vigorously, and paints a different picture from protesters.

“Philadelphia has shown tremendous demand for more affordable options like UberX, and the Mayor as well as the City Council have expressed their support for ridesharing,” said Craig Ewer, Uber’s Communications Director. “At the same time, the taxi industry has resisted competition and innovation at every turn, even going so far as working with the PPA to make sure Philadelphia is excluded from the regulations that currently govern uberX in 66 out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania.”

Protesters are joined by advocates of handicapped individuals, as protesters they claim that there is a lack of handicap-accessible vehicles offered by UberX and Lyft. Uber claims the opposite.

“By partnering with paratransit services, Uber has helped make accessible transit work in Philadelphia,” Ewer said. “Riders with disabilities can get a ride in minutes through Uber, while they’re often left stranded by taxi services. Although we are always looking for new ways to better serve all individuals who are disabled, Uber has in fact been praised by the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for increasing the mobility and freedom of drivers and riders with disabilities.”

Cab and UberBlack drivers have in the past cited the competition as resulting in lower incomes.

Protesters crowded onto the streets on Thursday, many in wheelchairs and many holding signs with anti-UberX slogans written across them.

The protest in Philadelphia is just one of numerous recent anti-Uber protests in the streets of major cities around the country and world. Similar protests have been reported in London and at Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara.

Uber has enjoyed tremendous success since its 2010 founding, despite an array of allegations that have nothing to do with its competitors, including misogynistic corporate practices and stalking a female journalist who reported on it.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more information as it becomes available.