Revere Beach, Carson Beach locals concerned over recent arrests

REVERE -- Crowds of young beachgoers spilled onto Revere Beach Boulevard the last two weekends, creating chaos for those who call the area home. 

And in South Boston, State Police arrested four people while breaking up fights on Carson Beach. 

"It's not safe for the people who work, for people who drive," said Olympia Banetti, who works nearby. 

State Police tried to keep the peace by banning parking along Revere Beach starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday. One city councilor believes the parking ban is bad for beachfront businesses already hit hard by the pandemic. 

"This is their busy time," said Ward 3 Councilor Anthony Cogliandro. "The weather is nice. People want to go out, so we're really hurting these businesses by not allowing parking." 

One local business owner agreed.

"That's not a good idea, because if they do that the restaurants aren't going to work," said Santorini Restaurant owner Stavroula Fotopoulos. "It's not good for business." 

For those who call Revere Beach home, they'd like to see more law enforcement on the T. 

"The kids come in on the train, they see Revere Beach Station, they get off," explained Mary Ann Wood. "I think maybe monitoring the MBTA, I think they should be on the train before the kids get out."  

Residents hope that as the warm weather sticks around, the crowds will eventually thin out.