Beloved Federal Hill Faces a New Reality: Video Brings Into Focus What No One Wants to See

The incident took place at the St. Joseph’s event, a three day festival of dining and shopping with entertainment. Along with outdoor dining, there were pop-up stands all along Atwells Avenue, making the road/turned walkway even narrower.

The motorcyclist involved had been seen before revving and doing maneuvers without being removed from the area, before deciding to go forward down the road.

It appears by watching the video that a person attempted to stop him by tossing a garbage container at the driver, causing him to fall and spin down the road, while the motorcycle continued, ending up crashing into a pop-up tent. Screaming could be heard, for injuries or panic, is not known.

The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. There are media reports that a 60 year old man was injured and that EMS took about 30 minutes to arrive on the scene. It is still unclear at this publication time if there were other injuries from bystanders, as chairs were seen flying in the air and people running.

Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez responded to RINewsToday’s request for comment: 

“Providence Police had officers stationed in the Federal Hill area as planned during yesterday’s event. The incident remains under investigation, and we are continuing to review the circumstances surrounding how the motorcycle operator entered the event area.

Based on the information available at this time, this appears to have been an isolated incident involving a motorcycle operator acting recklessly. The operator sustained minor injuries, was transported to the hospital for evaluation, and was issued multiple summonses.

As the investigation is ongoing, we are still reviewing all aspects of the incident, including reports that an object may have been thrown. Any potential criminal conduct identified during the investigation will be addressed appropriately.

We have heard concerns from business owners regarding the event’s footprint and frequency. Through the City’s special event review process, we worked with the merchant association to reduce the frequency of the event, strengthen contingency plans, and recommend larger street closures when necessary.

Public safety remains our top priority. We will continue to evaluate this incident, collaborate with event organizers, businesses, and other stakeholders, and determine whether any additional measures are needed moving forward. At this time, we remain committed to supporting outdoor dining and community events while ensuring appropriate safety measures are in place for residents, visitors, businesses, and event attendees.”

His comments point to the larger challenge of managing traffic, late-night activity and public behavior in a neighborhood that draws heavy crowds throughout the summer season.

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Francois Karam, manager of OPA, The Phoenician at 230 Atwells Avenue proactively released a statement regarding the incident and the safety “on the hill”:

“Last night, an incident occurred on the hill during the St. Joseph’s Feast (see attached videos and information). While there has been significant emphasis on safety, security, and police presence throughout these events, situations like this raise serious questions about whether enough is being done to protect residents, business owners, employees, and visitors.

The ongoing street closures have already had a substantial negative impact on my business, as well as more than 25 other businesses in the area. In fact, more than 25 businesses formally opposed the Al Fresco street closure program and signed their names in opposition, yet the program moved forward despite those concerns. Many business owners feel their voices have not been adequately considered throughout this process.

Beyond the economic impact, I am concerned about the safety of our patrons, staff, family members, and everyone attending these events. Business owners are being asked to absorb both the financial consequences and the potential safety risks associated with these closures.

This was only the second day of street closures this summer, and the program is scheduled to continue through the end of August. Given the duration of these closures and the concerns already being raised, I believe there should be greater public discussion about their impact on safety, accessibility, and the viability of the businesses that operate on Federal Hill.

I have personally met with city officials, including the Mayor, to express these concerns. Despite repeated efforts by myself and many other business owners, we continue to feel unheard as decisions affecting our businesses and livelihoods move forward.

[I’ve attached videos and information related to last night’s incident for your review.] I believe the public deserves to understand both the safety concerns and the broader impacts these closures are having on the Federal Hill community.

At the end of the day, I am grateful my family, employees, and patrons were not involved in last night’s incident. Others may not be as fortunate if these concerns continue to go unaddressed.”