Motorcycle crashes outdoor dining scene on Federal Hill

A chaotic motorcycle crash on Federal Hill Saturday night has reignited a fierce debate over the neighborhood's outside dining weekend street closures. Just before midnight, a motorcyclist bypassed police barricades and began speeding down a closed section of Atwells Avenue. Witnesses say a bystander hurled a trash bin at the rider, knocking him off. "The motorcycle kept going and it was the motorcycle that hit the gentleman," said Clara Borges, general manager of Carrara Shoes. The biker was hospitalized with minor injuries, but the incident has exposed a deep neighborhood divide. Opa’s owner, Francois Karam, and more than two dozen business owners are fighting to end the weekly closures, arguing they kill parking, slash foot traffic, and create major safety hazards. "We’re losing 40% to 60% of our sales every weekend," Karam said, adding that the ongoing frustration is pushing him to a breaking point. "It’s really leading my father and I to have the discussion of potentially leaving Federal Hill." Karam, whose family has owned the restaurant for decades and where he spent his childhood, says local merchants have been voicing their opposition to city leaders and the commerce association for five years with no results. MORE NEWS: 2 deadly motorcyclist crashes in less than 24 hours in Southern New England Organizers had requested an increased police presence for the events back in April. While police say officers were actively blocking both ends of the street Saturday, it remains unclear how the biker slipped through the perimeter. Despite the scare, some merchants insist the crash was just a one-off incident caused by a reckless driver, not a flaw in the event itself. "It happens everywhere," Borges countered. "I have been part of many other festivals... and there's always something going on." Providence Police say the investigation is ongoing. Detectives are currently reviewing surveillance footage to determine the role of a mystery SUV seen at the scene.